Every year, the business incubator of the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region gives its graduates from among 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 eleventh time. The winner was the mobile application project "My Constable", which was developed together with his son Jan by Ota Rössler, a constable and preventive officer of the municipal police of the municipality of Dubí.
For start-up companies and people with a business idea, the Innovation Center of the Ústí Region (ICUK) has a comprehensive educational program, business incubator Startup Go! It helps companies to start and develop their business. The culmination of the three-month spring run of the program was 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 were "grilled" in front of the jury and the public, but also burgers in a food truck located directly in front of the ICUK premises.
"Startups have 5 minutes for their presentations, after which the jury "grills" them with their questions. The goal is to rehearse and prepare companies for the so-called investor pitch, i.e. presentations to investors, which may occur if the project is successful on the real market,Jan Wedlich, manager for corporate clients from ICUK, explains the meaning of the event.
Who took the prizes?
8 out of a total of 10 graduating projects of the business incubator participated in the competition presentations. The absolute winner of Startup Go Grill was the mobile application project My Guard, which, based on the user's location, finds the requested municipal police. The application was created based on the shortcomings of line 156, when mistakes often occur in communication between citizens and police officers. Currently, the application is available for Android users with version 7.0 and higher. From the hands of judge Jindřich Josefus, CEO of Foxily, which also designs and develops mobile applications, the representatives of the winning project were delighted to receive a voucher worth CZK 25,000 for the development of their business.
"For the My Guard project, we appreciated the app's security and societal reach, and we believe that the team's victory will help to add more innovations and features to the app in the future, including its expansion to Apple iPhone users," added judge Jindřich Josefus, managing director of Foxily s.r.o., which also graduated from ICUK's business incubator in the past, to the victory of the mobile application.
The expert jury announced the project as the second best project Center for the mind, which offers, through a special computer program, brain training using the EEG Biofeedback method, the so-called frequency regulation of the brain's electrical activity, leading to improved cognitive functions, emotional stability and overall mental health.
"For the project offering therapy with the EEG Biofeedback method, I appreciate the focus on the mental health of children and athletes, with mental imbalances and problems now so common, and at the same time covering a gap in the market, as the demand for special therapies focusing on the human psyche is currently huge,” Judge Petra Hrstková, director of the CzechInvest branch for the Ústí Region, commented on the award.
The third place prize went to Michal Drobný's project entitled Restoration, which focuses on preserving, restoring the beauty and value of arts and crafts objects and historic buildings using modern technologies. The audience also had the opportunity to express their support by voting on the spot via a QR code. Not only did it unequivocally dazzle with its taste, and the project of brewing local craft beer won the audience award Central Highlands, which uses innovations and advanced technologies in the transfer of production processes.
"Despite the short three-month duration of the spring program, the participants made significant progress. Their readiness to be grilled in front of a panel of judges and the quality of their presentations were impressive. I am pleased to see how much the graduates have progressed in such a short timeVenus Soukupová, who ensures the operation of the business incubator ICUK, adds at the end.
The next incubator run begins already in autumn
One run of the Startup Go business incubator ended with the final presentations, but the work with the graduates does not end there, ICUK will continue to stay in touch with them, help them in their further development and move them to other opportunities, programs or investors. At the same time, the recruitment of business projects of start-up companies with an already established ID number for the autumn run of the Startup Go! Business incubator Startup Go! Including the final public presentations, it was supported by the Transformation Center of the Ústí Region project, registration number CZ.10.02.01/00/22_002/0000053.
Awards in photos:
- place: Jan and Ota Rössler, My Guard,
- location: Květuše Petáková, Jana Petrusová, Center for the Mind
- place: Michal Drobný, Restoration project
audience award: Pavel Klíma, Středohoř brewery
