Microsoft Innovation Center Hosted the Sixth Startup Graduates of Start It Smart Program
The sixth season of the Start It Smart pre-acceleration program ended with 6 teams presenting their projects to audience and investors at the end of the program from a total of 12 startup companies that have been approved for training this year. The organizers noted several differences over the previous years – the type of the projects, the number of participants and the character and location of the event.
The prevalent in this edition were hardware projects, most of which had a ready-made prototype, first-time customers and with a good preliminary research and argumentation about the need for the products on the market. Applications were cut in half in comparison with previous years due to the organizers’ different approach this season – a participation fee was introduced, and this narrowed the applicants down to those who were really motivated and presented strong projects and valuable ideas. During the 10-week program, start-up entrepreneurs were constantly accompanied by specialists and mentors who trained them on topics that are key to the successful development of a business idea – customer relationships, business planning, team building and funding opportunities. As in previous years, the teams that completed the Start It Smart pre-accelerator program have become part of the Bulgarian entrepreneurial organization and will have access to the network of contacts of the organization.
Start It Smart 2017 Finalists
Twinray – with the development of a self-charging electric airplane with short wing spread.
Cуcle Point – with an innovative bicycle lock system without padlocks or chains.
SmartCup – with a cup-adviser prototype for better oral hygiene; the product is based on the Internet of Things technology and allows the toothbrush cup to collect statistics and give tips for better tooth care.
Mom Instead – with a product for parents with young children – a platform for hourly care on call from the right people with experience.
The Student Network of Bulgaria – online platform that connects and unites all students in the country.
One Question – with a platform for experts from different fields where they discuss professional themes, ask questions and get an online response.
This year there was something else new – the venue. For the first time host of the event was Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC), a new workspace at “Sofia Tech Park” which opened in the spring.
Microsoft Innovation Center, the first innovation center of its kind in Bulgaria and the second on the Balkan Peninsula, opened in Sofia Tech Park. The founding organizations of the center are the global technology leader Microsoft, the Bulgarian software company ICB–InterConsult Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian entrepreneurial organization Start It Smart.
Located in the “Incubator” building of Sofia Tech Park, the center has 400 sq. meters of space for coworking, events, meetings, and demos. The founders’ investment in the center adds up to BGN 350,000 (approx. EUR 178,800). The aim of Microsoft Innovation Center is to give young and entrepreneurial Bulgarians access to business knowledge and technological resources that they need to turn their ideas into successful projects and growing startup companies.
Microsoft Innovation Center enables students, entrepreneurs, and startup teams to participate in IT projects, to attend technology events and trainings, and to develop their solutions based on Microsoft’s technology stack and products.
Microsoft has opened more than 100 innovation centers worldwide. The Microsoft Innovation Center in Sofia is part of a European family of innovation centers in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and Bosnia.
