Write this date down in your calendars! The entirity of Tricity startup community will meet on this day in O4 on the occasion of the Startup Sauna 2016 finals. This will be the culmination of events organized by the Finnish accelerator. Preparations are ongoing and the excitement is growing. The Preparation Camp schedule and list of mentors have already been established. More about Startup Sauna from Marta Moksa, O4’s Managing Director.
Marta, this is the second consecutive year in which Startup Sauna will be hosted in Gdańsk – to be exact, in O4. Is this a distinction or a coincidence?
It’s a great honor. Startup Sauna carefully selects the host, and is still choosing new locations (for example, they are investigating Russia and China this year), so the fact that they’ve returned to us after a year is a proof that our local ecosystem is excellent, and the quality of the presentations of last year’s finalists was really high. We hope that this year one of ours will get to program and to Slush.
What kind of projects usually take part in such events? Are they mostly projects form the new technology field?
They are VERY diverse. Last year, we saw projects focused on reading disrupting brain signals based only on eyeball movement, and furniture made only from recycling. Generally, Startup Sauna is for all startups, and the area of action is for them of secondary importance. They focus is mainly on the transfer of knowledge of how to make money out of your product, and not on how to develop the product itself.
What are the expectations for this year?
We expect surprises. Last year, completely new businesses appeared in the competition, the likes of which none from the so-called startup community members knew. It was cool. Startups should expect lots of remarkable meetings with really inspiring mentors. For some a direct conversation with Maciej Grabski or Anna Hejka may be more valuable than the prize!
How are the preparations going? Are you planning something special in O4’s space?
Preparations are primarily focused on an information campaign. The event itself is a big logistical challenge and is the collective effort of many people, so I am already very happy that after everything we will all chill together in the Old Maneż.
How can a startup enter this competition?
Just visit http://startupsauna.com/local-event/gdansk-poland. There is a registration form waiting for you.
We already know the program:
Monday – 26.09
09:00 – STARTER – CREATIVE MORNING Topic: Gonciarz’s effect.
11:00 – GPNT – Workshop focused on the substantive part of the presentation.
Tuesday 27.09
PPNT – Marketing workshop (narrative, self-presentation) with Jacek Kotarbiński and a rehearsal with mentors from Finland.
Wednesday 28.09 – STARTUP SAUNA in O4.
This year we are hosting many great mentors: Mike Bradshaw, an expert in the industry related to, among others, BarCamp in Helsinki and Hub Helsinki, Finnish investors: Juha Ruohonen and Torsti Tenhunen. From Poland Maciej Grabski – investor and head of Olivia Business Centre, Anna Hejka – Business Angel and investment banker and Alina Prawdzik – an investor with experience in the implementation of eBay in Europe.
HOW TO APPLY? VISIT: http://startupsauna.com/local-event/gdansk-poland
Reminder:
What is Startup Sauna?
Startup Sauna is a leading accelerator in Northern Europe, created to to support the most promising startup businesses to develop optimal business models. One of the most important activities of the Finns is a European tour, during which they get to know and to choose local startups for their program. The startups are then able to get to know their international mentors and receive reliable feedback about the idea they present. During the day-long session, there are presentations for business ideas, as well as individual meetings with representatives of global businesses. The author of the best presentation of the day receives a free ticket for this year’s edition of SLUSH.