March 7, 2013 at 14:59European program with a grant of 25 thousand euros: How to turn talent into a startup founder?
Investors no longer invest in technology, they invest in people and teams, as the human resource determines the success of a project. For those who want to understand how to create technology startups with an eye on global leadership, the first European The People Accelerator - Tech Peaks has opened . The main goal of this program is to open access to the international market for ICT entrepreneurs from Eastern Europe.
The professional environment of the Tech Peaks program was created precisely to quickly test your ideas in practice with the help of insiders and market visionaries: mentors, serial entrepreneurs, investors, service providers, representatives of corporations, accelerators, research laboratories and the media.
Tech Peaks is an entry point into the global startup ecosystem for both talented professionals with no ideas and teams with finished projects, where they can interact with a whole network of accelerator partners: Founders Institute (USA), Seedcamp (Europe), Mind the Bridge (England), Eleven (Bulgaria), H-Farm (Italy), Geekaccelerator (Romania), iCatapult (Hungary), Plug & Play Russia and many others.
The venue is the city of Trento, located right in the middle of the Italian Alps, one of the most technologically advanced territories in Europe, where a number of research laboratories, a university and European innovation centers are concentrated.
Tech Peaks selects 100 talents in technology, design and business from the Balkans and from Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Participants in the six-month program receive:
• A six-month visa in Italy (for non-EU citizens)
• Covering the cost of food and accommodation for the duration of the entire program
• A comfortable place to work on a startup
• Monthly pocket money of 500 euros per person
After the first intensive months of the program, which will include a series of seminars and practical lectures on the Lean StartUp Machine methodology, all participants, united in teams, can present their ideas to a professional jury of mentors and investors.
In case of victory, the team receives a grant of 25 thousand euros without any return on a share in their startup. This money is allocated to participants in the Trento region for business development in the remaining five months of the Tech Peaks program.
The mentors of the Tech Peaks program are practitioners with experience in creating successful businesses and investing. Their main task will be to share with participants insiders and a vision of the global market, as well as help startups in their development.
Here are the first of them (the list will be updated):
• Andy Parsons , co-founder / CTO “Happify”, specialist with 15 years of experience in developing software structures
• Obie Fernandez , best-selling author, CTO “Lean StartUp Machine”
•Vladimir Oane , co-founder of UberVU - the best platform for monitoring and interactive communication in social media according to Forbes Global 2000 marketing departments
• Renaud Visage , co-founder and CTO “Eventbrite”,
• Rebecca Paoletti , co-founder “ CakeWorks ”, a leading European expert in digital media with over 17 years of experience in developing and monetizing video products
• Evan Nisselson , investor and mentor in accelerators Seedcamp, 500 start-ups, Mind the Brindge
• Peter Stern , Web Designer“ Newport News Shipbuilding »
• Jeremiah Robinson , VP Software“ Jawbone ”
• Arkady Moreynis, Head of Plug & Play Russia, investor and mentor
Those startups who can attract angelic or venture capital investments in the project within 12 months after the completion of the program get the opportunity to participate in the second phase of Tech Peaks in co-financing of up to 200 thousand euros.
Age of participants is 18+. You have skills and knowledge in the field of technology, design or business, which are able to confirm with your projects or work experience. If you also have a cool idea to create a product - this is a plus, but not a prerequisite.
If you are a startup team, then in order to successfully pass the selection, you need to show how well you can work together, as well as clearly explain the essence of your idea, show a prototype / solution. The main thing that it is important for each participant in the program to have is a passion for entrepreneurship, a desire and ambition to build a truly innovative business. You must have flexible thinking, see beyond, be able to easily adapt to a new environment and people, be a leader, but also be responsible for what you do with your own hands. Tech Peaks is a challenge for those who want to try and develop!
Applications are accepted until April 5 on the Tech Peaks website , where you need to fill out a participant’s questionnaire and record a three-minute video with answers to questions about why, for example, you want to get into this program.
And on March 16, Digital October will host the official presentation of the Tech Peaks program featuring the famous film “The StartUp Kids” about the history of the founders of leading startups SoundCloud, Dropbox, Vimeo, Foodspotting and others.
The ideologists and founders of the Tech Peaks program are Trento RISE, whose mission is to do everything possible to turn the Trento region into an innovative and comfortable environment for entrepreneurs and investors, as well as the FBK Information Technology Center, which unites more than 350 graduate students and doctors as part of educational activities - researchers from around the world.
The Tech Peaks program also works in close partnership with EIT Labs (European Institute for Innovation and Technology), the largest professional community organized on the principle of innovation clusters in leading EU cities, led by the European Commission. His mission is to develop ICT and support small and medium-sized enterprises for economic growth and improving living standards in Europe.
The professional environment of the Tech Peaks program was created precisely to quickly test your ideas in practice with the help of insiders and market visionaries: mentors, serial entrepreneurs, investors, service providers, representatives of corporations, accelerators, research laboratories and the media.
Tech Peaks is an entry point into the global startup ecosystem for both talented professionals with no ideas and teams with finished projects, where they can interact with a whole network of accelerator partners: Founders Institute (USA), Seedcamp (Europe), Mind the Bridge (England), Eleven (Bulgaria), H-Farm (Italy), Geekaccelerator (Romania), iCatapult (Hungary), Plug & Play Russia and many others.
“ Plug & Play Russia has joined the Tech Peaks initiative, The People Accelerator ,” says Arkady Moreynis, head of Plug & Play Russia, “because we believe in this idea, even if it’s ambitious, on the European and Russian markets! The main question now is whether the Tech Peaks program can effectively convert the acquired talents from IT, design and business into the founders of successful startups with a global focus. This is a difficult task, but very seductive! And I, as a mentor, want to be one of her drivers ... "
The venue is the city of Trento, located right in the middle of the Italian Alps, one of the most technologically advanced territories in Europe, where a number of research laboratories, a university and European innovation centers are concentrated.
The essence and features of the program
Tech Peaks selects 100 talents in technology, design and business from the Balkans and from Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Participants in the six-month program receive:
• A six-month visa in Italy (for non-EU citizens)
• Covering the cost of food and accommodation for the duration of the entire program
• A comfortable place to work on a startup
• Monthly pocket money of 500 euros per person
After the first intensive months of the program, which will include a series of seminars and practical lectures on the Lean StartUp Machine methodology, all participants, united in teams, can present their ideas to a professional jury of mentors and investors.
In case of victory, the team receives a grant of 25 thousand euros without any return on a share in their startup. This money is allocated to participants in the Trento region for business development in the remaining five months of the Tech Peaks program.
The mentors of the Tech Peaks program are practitioners with experience in creating successful businesses and investing. Their main task will be to share with participants insiders and a vision of the global market, as well as help startups in their development.
Here are the first of them (the list will be updated):
• Andy Parsons , co-founder / CTO “Happify”, specialist with 15 years of experience in developing software structures
• Obie Fernandez , best-selling author, CTO “Lean StartUp Machine”
•Vladimir Oane , co-founder of UberVU - the best platform for monitoring and interactive communication in social media according to Forbes Global 2000 marketing departments
• Renaud Visage , co-founder and CTO “Eventbrite”,
• Rebecca Paoletti , co-founder “ CakeWorks ”, a leading European expert in digital media with over 17 years of experience in developing and monetizing video products
• Evan Nisselson , investor and mentor in accelerators Seedcamp, 500 start-ups, Mind the Brindge
• Peter Stern , Web Designer“ Newport News Shipbuilding »
• Jeremiah Robinson , VP Software“ Jawbone ”
• Arkady Moreynis, Head of Plug & Play Russia, investor and mentor
Those startups who can attract angelic or venture capital investments in the project within 12 months after the completion of the program get the opportunity to participate in the second phase of Tech Peaks in co-financing of up to 200 thousand euros.
Who should participate?
Age of participants is 18+. You have skills and knowledge in the field of technology, design or business, which are able to confirm with your projects or work experience. If you also have a cool idea to create a product - this is a plus, but not a prerequisite.
If you are a startup team, then in order to successfully pass the selection, you need to show how well you can work together, as well as clearly explain the essence of your idea, show a prototype / solution. The main thing that it is important for each participant in the program to have is a passion for entrepreneurship, a desire and ambition to build a truly innovative business. You must have flexible thinking, see beyond, be able to easily adapt to a new environment and people, be a leader, but also be responsible for what you do with your own hands. Tech Peaks is a challenge for those who want to try and develop!
Applications are accepted until April 5 on the Tech Peaks website , where you need to fill out a participant’s questionnaire and record a three-minute video with answers to questions about why, for example, you want to get into this program.
And on March 16, Digital October will host the official presentation of the Tech Peaks program featuring the famous film “The StartUp Kids” about the history of the founders of leading startups SoundCloud, Dropbox, Vimeo, Foodspotting and others.
Program organizers
The ideologists and founders of the Tech Peaks program are Trento RISE, whose mission is to do everything possible to turn the Trento region into an innovative and comfortable environment for entrepreneurs and investors, as well as the FBK Information Technology Center, which unites more than 350 graduate students and doctors as part of educational activities - researchers from around the world.
The Tech Peaks program also works in close partnership with EIT Labs (European Institute for Innovation and Technology), the largest professional community organized on the principle of innovation clusters in leading EU cities, led by the European Commission. His mission is to develop ICT and support small and medium-sized enterprises for economic growth and improving living standards in Europe.