Applications for the SPbU Start-up − 2023 contest are now open
St Petersburg University has begun accepting applications for the 8th annual contest of innovative projects "SPbU Start-up — 2023".
This year, for the first time, the contest is open not only to students from St Petersburg University, but also to undergraduate and postgraduate students, clinical residency students and early career researchers from other universities and research institutes in Russia.
The winning teams will receive grants from the St Petersburg University Endowment Fund to establish small innovative enterprises with the participation of St Petersburg University to implement their innovative projects. Grants for their projects’ development and commercialisation will amount to 1,000,000 and 1,500,000 roubles. This is the largest one-time grant in similar contests.
Elena Mishutina, Head of the Financial Planning Department, answers the questions about the contest.
SPbU Start-up − 2023: how to participate?
The finalists will have the opportunity to study in a non-degree programme developed by the Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University for the participants in the SPbU Start-up − 2023 contest and financed by the grant fund. Additionally, the members of the finalist teams will be able to present their start-up projects as term papers or graduation projects as part of the project "Start-up in lieu of a graduation project".
All-Russian start-up contest "SPbU Start-up — 2023"
How to build a start-up team, where to find investors and how to avoid mistakes when entering the market? The answers to these and other questions are in a special video.
Team, investors, market: solving cases on a start-up route
The deadline for submission of applications is 21 November 2022. The projects selected by the Expert Council will advance to the second − correspondence (qualifying) − round of the contest, which finishes on 7 December 2022. Teams that have passed to the next round − from 12 December 2022 to 13 January 2023 − will be provided with dedicated tutor support. The fourth round − from 23 January to 6 February − features pitching sessions for further selection of projects. The fifth round contains team training and consultation modules. It will take place from 14 February to 24 May 2023. The final round of the competition will be held on 25 May 2023.
Is there a formula for a start-up success?
A start-up entrepreneur needs to consider and assess various factors before launching a project. The main questions are answered by Gregorii Kunis, the founder of the iGooods service.