Displaying items by tag: business idea

Students, research assistants and professors are encouraged to join the start2grow entrepreneurship competition 38 -  a contest for people with an exciting business idea. Application is now open!

Start2 grow offers the following benefits:

• Free participation
• High prize money
• Special technology prize 
• Special digital enterprises prize
• Contacts to capital and business
• Interactive events
• Network to 600 coaches

Apply Now!

For more information regarding the application please visit www.start2grow.de.

Students, research assistants and professors are encouraged to join the start2grow entrepreneurship competition 2016 -  a contest for people with an exciting business idea. Application is now open!

Start2 grow offers the following benefits:

• Free participation
• High prize money (30.000€ for the top 3 ideas)
• Special technology prize pool of 10.000€
• Support from over 600 coaches from the fields of economy and science
• A large network which supplies participants with useful contacts from economy and science
• Events like workshops and coaching
• Support in setting up a business plan, which is able to win over investors and decision makers

Start2grow is a competition which helps german founders to implement their business idea. More than 600 voluntary coaches will support participants with their expert knowledge and potential business contacts. Over 4000 teams have participated in the last 34 competitions and have presented their individual ideas and concepts. From these 4000 teams, 900 actually launched their venture and have been able to create more than 5200 jobs - a very promising ratio. Start2grow is the only german entrepreneurship competition which is certified by ISO 9001 for its quality management. It is an initiative by dortmund-project, belonging to the department for economic advancement of the City of Dortmund.

For more information regarding the application please visit www.start2grow.de.

All to-be Founders and Entrepreneurs can apply for 2 different rounds of the Innovatorscup 2015 as of now.

The application process is easy accessible and non-bureaucratic:

-          Round 1 starts now and ends at April 30th, 2015

-          Round 2 starts from May 1st and ends at June 30th, 2015

The cup is organized by the innoWerft, the technology and founder center at the SAP campus in Walldorf. The first prize is a partnership with the innoWerft (www.innowerft.com) which will actively help you to success with your idea from prototype over financing and going to market.

You profit from

• Expertise of experienced business people
• Networking via the SAP SE
• Conceptional and operational support
• Pilot project for the launch of your product
• Access to a global expert- and investornetwork
• Access to office space with a professional infrastructure and contact to other startups
• Support services (Management, Marketing, Legal consultation and more)
  

All participants of round 1 have the additional chance to win a professional design thinking workshop.

You can easily apply via our online form at innovatorscup.innowerft.com or fill out the attached onepager and (e-)mail it to us:

innoWerft
Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Walldorf
Stiftung GmbH
Partner-Port
Altrottstraße 31
69190 WalldorfTel: +49 6227 7349500
Fax: +49 6227 7349501
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Every application receives a guaranteed expert feedback for his/her business idea.

The ideas will be evaluated directly after their submission. Thereby you will get an immediate feedback.

Don't waste any time and apply for the Innovators Cup 2015-THE STARTUP IS YOU!

The International Business Model Competition represents a radical departure from the past and the crest of a new paradigm in entrepreneurship. The IBMC is not a business plan competition. The IBMC requires a focus on testing assumptions in the field rather than the typical approach of gathering secondary data, developing validated learning rather than writing a business plan, getting outside the building rather than researching inside the building, applying lean development rather than relying on product development, and “reinventing” or changing course rather than executing on the plan. This competition rewards teams based upon the process of validation and adaptation rather than the merits of the company alone.

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

All-star final event judging panel: Steve Blank, Alex Osterwalder, and Nathan Furr
Over $100,000 in cash prizes (with a guaranteed $2000 awarded to each quarterfinalist)
Last year 2,000+ teams from 200+ schools in 20 countries participated in IBMC-affiliated competitions

IMPORTANT 2015 DATES

If you want to participate please go to the Apply page. Teams will find further information regarding the application process there.

It is important that all participants understand the competition eligibility guidelines and judging criteria prior to application.

We have attached a tentative schedule of events and competition flowchart. If you would like further information.

Are you interested in founding your own venture soon? Then apply now for the innoWerft-Innovators Cup 2014!

The Cup is being organized by innoWerft, the technology and startup center at the SAP Campus in Walldorf. The main prize will be a partnership with innoWerft, which will assist you actively in leading your business to sucess and realizing your idea from the prototype to funding rounds.

The benefits will include

• expert knowledge from experienced businessmen
• linking-up with the SAP AG
• conceptional and operative support
• pilot projects which will support the market entrance of your product
• a wide network of investors and experts
• an office in a representative environment with the chance to interexchange with other startups

Interested? You can apply easily at www.innovatorscup.innowerft.com or fill out the attached onepager and send it via mail or email to:

innoWerft
Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Walldorf
Stiftung GmbH
Partner-Port
Altrottstraße 31
69190 Walldorf
Tel: +49 6227 7349500
Fax: +49 6227 7349501
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Once you have finished a research project, a wide variety of different questions come up: What different financing opportunities would be available to follow up the project? Who would be a potential investor? How viable is your and customer oriented is the content of your research?

The Opportunity Recognition Workshop (ORW) will address such issues and help you make the first step to turn your research project into an actual business idea. Experts in the field of technology transfer will introduce their concepts and instruments, which will help you in developing a business idea and apply for a follow-up project. The concepts and instruments will be taught and practically applied in the two-day workshop.

Program

1) Communicate your research: Present the content, challenges and potential of your research
2) From technical research to business opportunity: Identification of a potential field for application of the technological innovation
3) Outlook / Value Proposition Design: Business Model Canvas, establishing a business model and a proper business idea

The number of participants is restricted to 15 people. For more information and in order to apply, please visit: http://innovation.mfg.de/de/veranstaltungen/opportunity-recognition-workshop-research-with-impact-1.18902

Students, research assistants and professors are encouraged to join the start2grow entrepreneurship competition 2014 -  a contest for people with an exciting business idea. Application is now open!

Start2 grow offers the following benefits:

• Free participation
• High prize money, appealing material prizes and a special prize for technology innovations
• Support from over 600 coaches from the fields of economy and science
• A large network which supplies participants with useful contacts from economy and science
• Events like workshops and coaching
• Support in setting up a business plan, which is able to win over investors and decision makers

Start2grow is a competition which helps german founders to implement their business idea. More than 600 voluntary coaches will support participants with their expert knowledge and potential business contacts. Over 4000 teams have participated in the last 31 competitions and have presented their individual ideas and concepts. From these 4000 teams, 900 actually launched their venture and have been able to create more than 5200 jobs - a very promising ratio. Start2grow is the only german entrepreneurship competition which is certified by ISO 9001 for its quality management. It is an initiative by dortmund-project, belonging to the department for economic advancement of the City of Dortmund.

For more information regarding the application please visit www.start2grow.de.

A single idea forms the heart of any start-up. After in-depth brainstorming, your business idea should be clarified and withstand a detailed plausibility test. You are still motivated? Then nothing stands in the way of starting up your own business. 

Inspiration

Even if your business idea or the desire to become an entrepreneur is the only existent fact at the moment, eventual success will depend on other factors. Are you still missing the "divine spark"?

1) Create an innovation through the new combination of goods, procedures, markets, sources of supply or organizations.

2) Use an individual information advantage you possess in comparison to others, e.g. knowledge of market opportunities due to industry experience, your hobbies or through a stay abroad.

3) Self-reflection, learning and personal development will reveal new ideas, which might either be innovative or imitate similar founding ideas.

4) Network with other potential entrepreneurs and combine your strengths. Thinking of business ideas as a team is more fun!

Plausibility

You have developed your business idea? Then it is necessary to take the next step and tell a selected group of people.

1) Discuss your idea with friends, colleagues, experts and especially include potential customers.

2) Check your idea with the following criteria in these conversations:

- Feasibility: Can your thoughts actually be transferred into practice?

- Customer Benefits: How does your idea “help” potential customers?

- Differentiation: How does your idea differ from existing services or products? Are you for example sufficiently innovative?

- Profitability: Will it be possible to implement your project profitably? 

Personality

The motives that encourage people to start their own business vary widely and seem to be as heterogeneous as the founders themselves. As a matter of fact, there is no such thing as ‚the’ type of person who becomes a founder. However, certain characteristics favour the success of entrepreneurial activities.

In addition to the identification of market opportunities, entrepreneurship especially results in having to enforce one’s own ideas. Some people are better equipped than others to carry out this continuos task. A high internal locus of control ("I can control my own destiny."), the need for achievement and risk-taking propensity are part of being independent. An especially important trait of entrepreneurs is to be action-oriented: "Acting and the power to act" (Schumpeter). Creativity and emotional intelligence will help you establish your idea in the market.

Assess yourself realistically in order to seek business partners who complement your own skills and expertise.

Support from the MCEI

Founder consulting, Founder talks, Provision of rooms and services to student entrepreneurs

The Startup Garage is a business plan workshop that helps you tweak and challenge your business plan. Please stay tuned and check our Events Section for upcoming Startup Garage workshops. Participation is free of charge for students of the University of Mannheim. 

If you need individual advice, feel free to make an appointment for our Startup Advice & Consulting Services that are offered free of charge.