Young entrepreneurs, scientists and students! You are talented, creative and ambitious? We invite you to take part in the Intercollegiate Student Contest of Innovative Projects – SCIP Start

SCIP – Start gives a unique opportunity to try yourself as a business – leader or project member: to find or come up with an innovative idea, work out its technical realization plan, develop the business strategy, find partners and investors for the implementation of your idea.

For entrepreneurs and business leaders SCIP provides an opportunity to collect a project team, find smart and energetic young professionals, establish new products and introduce new technologies.

For investors, angel investors and venture capitalists SCIP provides an opportunity to make investments in promising projects and make a good profit.

Intercollegiate Student Contest of Innovative Projects (SCIP-Start)
Initiators:

• Universities - the contest initiators,
• Moscow Government Department of Science and Industrial Policy,
• Moscow Entrepreneurs Association, Moscow Department of Small Business,
• Moscow innovation and high technology Centre,
• Investors and other organizations.

Contest key idea:

You can’t really learn to run business on the lectures. The innovative projects contest gives you a chance to try your hand in business: find or come up with an innovative idea, work out its technical realization plan, develop the business strategy, find partners and investors

Our goals:

• Show the options of self-realization to students in concordance with their education;
• Get students involved in the realization of real innovative projects, including those initiated by students themselves

Jury and experts:

• Professors representing the Universities - initiators of the contest;
• Scientists, researchers, technical specialists;
• Representatives of the Moscow Entrepreneur Association – Companies leaders and owners
• Graduates - the organizers of the contest;
• Representatives of the sponsors;
• Representatives of financial institutions: venture capital and investment funds, banks, private investors;
• Representatives of state structures.

Who can participate in the contest?
Students and young scientists of academic and research institutes, young entrepreneurs

The winners will get:

1. Free participation in the associated exhibition of the contest as well as in the business program of "High Tech XXI" International Forum
2. The possibility to deliver a speech at the Presentation session of the Contest within the scope of "High Tech XXI" International Forum business program
3. A chance to raise investments to the project from the federal and Moscow budgets, attract off-budget funding
4. A discount on placement of project information in broadsheets, banners and the video clips of the Contest Organizing Committee in Moscow streets

Contestant package includes:

1. Status of Participant
2. Publication the information about the project at the of the Contest website
3. Placement of the information about the participant and his project in the official publications of the Contest
4. Opportunity to participate in the business activities set up by the Contest Initiating Committee
5. Subscription for the mailing of the Initiating Committee materials
6. Participation in the consultations, conferences and debates set up by the Contest Organizing Committee
7. Opportunity to take part in the Contest associated exposition at various business events, including the "High Tech XXI" international forum
8. Favorable invitations to the "High Tech XXI" international forum
9. Dissemination of the information about the author, the organization, and the project at the business activities of the Contest
10. Exemption from the entrance fee of Moscow Entrepreneurs Association (MEA)
11. Opportunity to use MEA advertising and PR facilities
12. Participation in MEA business events
13. Consultations on setting up the presentation stand

Contest timeline

Stage 1 (January - February). Preparatory Stage - forming of governing bodies (Steering Committee, Advisory Council, the Jury).

Stage 2 (February - March). Forming of the ideas, projects and orders database.

Stage 3 (April). Presentation for the contestants. "Job Fair" – team building presentations. A series of workshops and lectures on the implementation of innovative ideas (selection of ideas, team building, choosing a business model, developing the R&D plan, developing a business plan, intellectual property protection, marketing, financial issues). The stage final – setting up project presentations.

Stage 4 (May - July): Projects appraisal and semifinalists selection (about 30 projects), public holding of the semifinals and finals (8 - 10 projects). Presentation Session - Announcements (1-2 minutes), presentations of finalists (7-10 min), the dialogue with the jury (10-15 minutes). Award ceremony. Meetings and negotiations with potential partners and investors.

Step 5. Implementation of projects, supported by the Steering Committee and by the partners of the contest.

Stage 6. Results.