During the Kazan Startup Weekend IT companies, investors, technology entrepreneurs and government authorities will run IT competitions and discuss how to promote the start-up community, IT-technologies in medicine and create an accelerator from scratch. Innopolis University will be the educational partner of the event.
"Over $980 thousand was invested in projects of young businessmen at the first Kazan Startup Week in 2014. Those who did not receive financial support had other benefits - new knowledge and useful experience gained at numerous workshops by startup gurus, including the legendary Bob Dorf. This year Kazan Startup Weekend has set even more ambitious goals. It is our contribution to the development of the Russian start-up community, support of domestic IT innovations, promotion of the Import Substitution Programme, and introduction of IT in all spheres of our life", - said Anton Grachev, Director of IT Park, a technopark in the sphere of high technologies.
At the Kazan Startup Weekend you will learn how to create an accelerator from scratch and avoid legal errors that can ruin your business. Experts will share secrets of making a creative, uncommon start-up and provide tips for successful negotiations with investors.
The event will include Brain IT, a 24-hour hackathon where participants will develop IT solutions for specific cases offered by banks, construction companies, medical institutions and other entities. Besides, Kazan Startup Weekend will provide two competitions — KSW Junior for school-children and KSW Old School for adults. Children will be challenged with school business projects, while elder participants will communicate their experience and competencies necessary for future IT projects.
Another bonus is MED&IT that will be organized by the Kazan Startup Weekend - an expertise from international mentors for startups in medicine and high technology that will bring together students of medical universities, medical practitioner and IT developers.
Projects created during the startup weekend will be evaluated by investors at the final Demo Day.
"Networking is beneficial for the industry. We need platforms and events where professionals share their experience with start-up entrepreneurs while the latter receive feedback on their ideas thus making a positive effect. Meanwhile, such events are more effective when combined with a systematic support of small business projects in the field of high technology. Development of IT solutions is closely connected with long-term work, high risks and unpredictable results. Private investors are unwilling to risk their money if they do not see any prospects for refunds and capital growth. Therefore, it is a task of the government to support different strategic actions like medical technology", said Vyacheslav Mikhailov, Head of the Entrepreneurship Activities Office at Innopolis University.
As part of the Kazan Startup Weekend, the technopark will host a TEDx conference that brings together business incubator alumni and provides entertainment activities.
Registration for the event is open. Details: http://kazanstartupweekend.ru/
