The Innovation Space programme at the
Eastern Economic Forum opened on 4 September with a pitch-session of start-ups
as part of the EASTBOUND.CAMP workshop organized by the Roscongress Foundation, VEB
Ventures and the Far East High-Technology Foundation. The winners were three
projects from the Far East region.
The pitch-session proceeded an entire
day of intensive courses in the format of a training «bootcamp» for beginners
at the Russky technopark at the FEFU. A team of leading venture industry
experts headed by General Director of VEB Ventures Oleg Teplov, together with 19 teams, worked through all aspects of
their strategy, including in the sphere of communication and raising investment. Seven finalists were selected to present their
projects to international investors and guests of EEF 2019.
The session
on the Innovation Space took place
in the format of a competitive pitch judged by executive and top managers of
such companies as VEB Ventures, Sistema Asia, Venture Company Yakutia, the Far East
High-Technology Foundation, the National Agency for Promoting Indian Investment
Invest India and Russky Technopark.
Three winners were identified: Flame Lab —
developer of an innovative heating element, Aiger —
constructor of a sales system based on AI and TOMORU — creator of a
conceptually new chat-bot.
«I am delighted that, in just one year, EASTBOUND has
become an integral part of Russia’s innovative ecosystem and an essential event
on the business programmes of the country’s major economic forums, including
SPIEF, EEF and Open Innovations. I am convinced that, in the future, it could
become a true centre of gravity for all promising Russian projects and leading
foreign investors», VEB Ventures General Director Oleg Teplov noted.
«Already on the
first day of EEF, we saw several promising technology companies. EASTBOUND.CAMP
undoubtedly helped disclose their potential. Thanks to contacts with leading
venture sector experts, the beginning entrepreneurs realised what the market
would require from their product, what awaits them in the future and how best to
present their product. I think the teams have a good chance of future success»,
stressed Roscongress Foundation Director and Chairman of the Board Alexander
Stuglev.
«Such events as EASTBOUND.CAMP make it possible both
to extend the technoparks range of partners and to give our residents another
opportunity to push their project and show themselves to investors — this is
virtually a home. I am pleased that three competition winners are participants
in the Russky Technopark Accelerator, this confirming once more the
effectiveness of our work aimed ultimately at raising investment for projects.
And this is not just a one-off but a quite regular pattern», Russky Technopark
Director Dmitriy Borovikov noted.
«We are
targeting leading positions in our segment for the TOMORU project and we have a
precise plan for achieving this. To win a competition is a small but important
step for us in this direction», said TOMORU project CEO Denis Balyura.
