Every year, the business incubator of the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region gives its graduates from the ranks of start-up companies the opportunity to present their projects in front of an expert jury and the public. The popular event, during which startups have only 5 minutes for their presentation, was held for the tenth time this year. The winner was the company Noxem from Bystřany near Teplice with a smart box for making companies' production more efficient, which also took home the audience award.
For start-up companies and people with a business idea, the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region has a comprehensive educational program, the business incubator Startup Go! It helps companies to start their business, develop it and avoid mistakes. The culmination of this several-month program are the final presentations of the program graduates in front of the jury and the public called Startup Go Grill. At the same time, not only start-up companies are "grilled" in front of the jury and the public, but also gastronomic delicacies! This year, the presentation Startup Go! The Grill was held on Thursday, November 30 in the premises of the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region.
"Startups only have 5 minutes for their presentations and it's literally a grilling, because the jury often has really serious questions. The goal is to rehearse and prepare companies for the so-called investor pitch, i.e. presentations to investors, which we traditionally invite to preview,Jan Wedlich, manager for corporate clients from ICUK, explains the meaning of the event.
Who took the prizes?
This year, 6 out of a total of 12 graduating projects from the business incubator participated in the competition presentations. The absolute winner of the Startup Go Grill was the company Noxem, which developed a smart box with an application based on the Internet of Things for monitoring (not only) production equipment and subsequently making the production of companies more efficient. She received a voucher worth CZK 25,000 from the director of ICUK for the development of her business.
"A great project with a smart technical solution that just proves how imaginative and skilled people we have in the region. We will try to open doors to other companies for the winners, as they offer a very useful service for the development, digitization and efficiency of regional manufacturing enterprises", comments ICUK director Martin Mata on the result.
The project of a goat farm with wellness stays Vacheria z Kletečná was announced as the second best project by the expert jury consisting of ICUK director Martin Mata, Uneeqly executive Angelika Dudová and Family Bakery founder Jana Fišerová. The prize for third place went to the social enterprise Unitio with a business incubator project that helps foreigners establish and develop businesses in the Czech Republic. The evening also included audience voting for the best startup, which was again won by Noxem.
"The final Startup Go Grill presentations are also a great opportunity for start-ups to reach their first customers and fans. It's about building a community that gives startups valuable feedback. And that is also one of the benefits of our incubator," adds Jan Wedlich from ICUK, who also moderated the entire event.
The next incubator run begins
One run of the Startup Go business incubator ended with the final presentations, but the work with graduates does not end there, ICUK continues to be in contact with companies, helps them in their further development and moves them to other opportunities, programs or investors. At the same time, the recruitment of business projects and start-up companies for the next run of the Startup Go program is currently underway.
"We select projects for the incubator, however, we try to stay in touch with everyone who approaches us and offer them an alternative in the form of educational workshops that we organize for the public, or professional consultations with our experts. We start already in January, but budding entrepreneurs or those interested in a business idea can apply now," concludes Venuse Soukupová, who ensures the operation of the ICUK business incubator.
Awards in photos:
- place + audience prize: Noxem, Jaroslav Klíma, Aleš Jochec
- place: Vacheria, Pavla Hrůzová Donárová
- place: Unitio, Kateřina Myška Zolotnicyna
