7 Start-Up Competitions Help Entrepreneurs Get Off Ground

Do you have a tech start-up that you’re trying to get off the ground? Check out these upcoming eventsaround the world. Hurry up – application deadlines are approaching!

Do you have a tech start-up that you’re trying to get off the ground?  Check out these upcoming eventsaround the world. Hurry up – application deadlines are approaching!

Innovate! Europe: The Guidewire Group (organizers of DEMO) are launching a three-part competition designed to identify Europe’s most promising startups and accelerate their drive into the global technology market. Innovate! will be holding a Going Global Workshop in Tel Aviv on April 1, 2009. Application and attendance at the Going Global workshops is free for invited companies. Deadline for application is March 20th.  Apply here. (Don’t forget to mention that VC Cafe referred you!) 

SeedCamp: Europe’s start-up mentorship and investment event.  Mini SeedCamp London will be happening on April 20, 2009.  Application deadline is April 6, 2009.  Apply here. (Also: I’m a Seedcamp product mentor). 

Y-Combinator:  US West Coast’s start-up mentorship and investment event.  Application deadline is March 18, 2009 for Summer 2009.  Winning start ups in the incubator program receive a ‘mini-seed’ investment of $5,000 as well as $5,000 per founder in return for a 2 to 10 percent ownership stake in the company.  Apply here

TechStars:  US Colorado-based start-up mentorship and investment event.Get up to $18,000 in seed funding for your new company, plus the chance to pitch to angel investors and venture capitalists at the end of the summer.  Application deadline is March 21, 2009. Apply here in writing or in a video.
Highland Capital Partners:  CA-based venture capital firm is running  Summer@Highland for the third year. HCP offers start-up mentorship and investment to student entrepreneurs with a business startup.  Application deadline is April 9, 2009. Apply here

The Israel Web Tour 2009: The California-Israel Chamber of Commerce organizes the annual delegation of Israeli start ups to Silicon Valley. Chosen start-ups will get a chance to meet with the valley’s leading tech firms and enjoy a series of speakers.  Companies wishing to apply should contact Tami Lev at CICC tami@ca-israelchamber.org

TheFunded Founder Institute: Have an idea but didn’t form a start up yet? Adeo Ressi, founder of the rating site for VCs, has lauched a training program for future start up CEOs. The 4-month program offers access to lawyers, CEOs, and investors in the Bay Area.  Applications will begin mid-April on www.founderinstitute.com

LaunchBox Digital: LaunchBox09 is a 12-week global competition based in Washington D.C. Winning companies will receive up to $20,000 seed funding in exchange for 6% of the common stock in the company. Application deadline is March 16th. Apply here

In addition to these global competitons, business school students will be happy to learn that there are more than 50 business plan competitions out there. I found the most exhaustive list at the MIT Global Startup Workshop.

If your company is working to take advantage of the current market conditions to grow partnerships and nail a solid business model, we encourage you to participate in these events. Let us know if you are!

 

UPDATE(s):

Adding a few more  from RWW’s Y Combinator Clones list:

Name: YEurope 
Location: Vienna, Austria 
Investment: 5,000€ per founder, up to 15,000€ (3 founders) 
Stake Taken: 2-10% 
Companies funded: Soup.io 
Next application deadline: None

Name: DreamIt Ventures 
Location: Philadelphia, PA 
Investment: Between $10,000 and $30,000 
Stake Taken: 4-8% 
Companies funded: None yet 
Next application deadline: March 12

Name: Bootup Labs 
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada 
Investment: ? 
Stake Taken: ? 
Companies funded: None yet 
Next application deadline: None / not yet launched

Name: Bootphase 
Location: Atlanta, GA 
Investment: ? 
Stake Taken: ? 
Companies funded: None 
Next application deadline: None / Not yet launched

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Co Founder and Managing Partner at Remagine Ventures
Eze is managing partner of Remagine Ventures, a seed fund investing in ambitious founders at the intersection of tech, entertainment, gaming and commerce with a spotlight on Israel.

I'm a former general partner at google ventures, head of Google for Entrepreneurs in Europe and founding head of Campus London, Google's first physical hub for startups.

I'm also the founder of Techbikers, a non-profit bringing together the startup ecosystem on cycling challenges in support of Room to Read. Since inception in 2012 we've built 11 schools and 50 libraries in the developing world.
Eze Vidra
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