Startups are not just about ideas. They are about making ideas happen. There are very few people who are born “to be entrepreneurs”, while others find inspiration in the course of their life, to take up the path of entrepreneurship. An entrepreneur isn’t just someone who owns a business, but one who is ready to enter a field with innovation, creativity, and a spirit that wants to make things happen.
The Startup Fest may be the perfect opportunity for you, if you see yourself as a budding entrepreneur. With the mission “Make more, better startups faster”, Philippe Telio, founded the International Startup Festival (Startup Fest). He is an entrepreneur with a passion for startups. The startup fest is a successful series of international conferences on the business of startups. It has earned the reputation of being an unforgettable and unconventional event, incorporating unique opportunities to give us an unbeatable festival atmosphere ever since its inception.
What Do You Need To Know About The Startup Fest?
Startup Fest is a global gathering of the world’s best entrepreneurs, founders, investors and mentors. Since its inception in 2011, Startup Fest has grown into an unmissable startup community event of the year in Montreal, Canada.
The event attracts over 30,000 founders, investors and other members of the startup community from Montreal, as well other countries, for a 3 day global tech community festival, in July every year.
The Startup Fest is known for doing away with the standard event format. Young entrepreneurs get tangible opportunities to make the connections they need, in one of the world’s most iconic festival cities. From the Investor Zone , to the Funding Workshop lightning rounds, it curates a host of opportunities to help young entrepreneurs achieve their dreams.
Startup Fest also gives budding entrepreneurs a chance to meet experienced people, and get to know about their experiences in the field of startups and entrepreneurship. The three-day festival is a complete package, with world class content of keynotes, interactive how-to sessions, thought-provoking predictions and a healthy dose of irreverence. Crowned as the “music festival for startups”, the Startup Fest gives startups an opportunity to build the connections they need.
Every year the festival grants millions of dollars in prizes and investments. The Startup Fest offers different prizes, such as spots in accelerator programs, $100k investment prize, a Grandmothers’ choice award, paid proofs of concept and long term partnerships with corporations. The best thing about these prizes is that it is open to any startup at the event, no prior registration is required.
The $100k Investment Prize
Is your startup looking for some serious funding? Well, the Startup Fest provides budding entrepreneurs an opportunity to win $100k in the form of investments. The $100k investment prize has always been the most coveted prize at the fest.
To win this investment prize, startups need to pitch their idea to one of the $100k Investor Judges, wearing a judge batch and a BLUE Lanyard at the event. Pitching is an opportunity to introduce the business idea to the judges in a limited amount of time, from a few seconds to a few minutes. This could be done either through presentations or orally.
Each judge will shortlist one startup for a prize by the end of the day. The shortlisted startups will then be contacted and invited the next day to come and pitch to the entire group of investor judges. The winner(s) will then be selected and announced the same day.
The Grandmothers’ Choice Award
The Grandmothers’ Choice Award is a non cash prize award but it offers startups with the MaRS Market Intelligence Award, which gives them an unique opportunity to gain access to world class market research.
The Grandmothers’ Choice Award is the most popular event of the festival. Startups have to enlist themselves and line up to pitch their ideas to startup savvy seniors. These seniors are very experienced entrepreneurs who are difficult to impress. Impressing these Grandma Judges can win you the Grandmothers’ Choice Awards.
Entrepreneurs boost the economic growth of the economy by introducing innovative technologies, products and services. Armed with support, budding entrepreneurs can gain access to exposure, visibility and talent. This will further enhance their entrepreneurial skills, and increase competition among existing entrepreneurs, which will help raise productivity of firms and economies.
P.S: Refer the website www.startupfestival.com for more info about the events.
