3rd Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum
The Centre for Entrepreneurship (C4E) of the University of Cyprus and The Hellenic Initiative (THI) announce the organization of the 2017 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum for the commercialization of innovative research and technology startups (IEF2017).
The event is being supported by the MIT Enterprise Forum Greece (MITEF Greece), PwC Cyprus and the USA embassy in Cyprus.
IEF2017 will take place at the University of Cyprus on the 28th of November 2017.
IEF2017 will bring together Cypriot researchers and Cypriot start-ups with world experts and leading minds in innovation, successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists from the USA and Europe.
GOALS
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Showcase cutting-edge university research in Cyprus which has the potential to be commercialized and launch as a startup.
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Present successful examples of mature technology startups from Cyprus and the region.
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Connect university researchers with expatriate innovation leaders and successful entrepreneurs from Cyprus and abroad.
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Stimulate partnerships between the researchers and respected venture investors from the USA, Europe and the region.
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Provide opportunities for sharing experiences and know how on best practices in research commercialization through structured and unstructured networking.
Participation to the Forum is open to teams consisting of faculty, researchers and doctoral candidates from universities and research institutes in Cyprus. Cypriot startups, in Cyprus and abroad, are also eligible to apply to the Competition Track described below. Students, from all Universities in Cyprus, with innovative ideas are eligible to apply for participation in a Student Track.
Competition Track Selection Criteria: Applications to the Competition Track will be selected based on a number of criteria, the main ones being innovation and competitive advantage, technological readiness and potential for scalability. For more information, visit Competition Track page.
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Research Track Selection Criteria: Applications for the Research Track will be selected based on maturity of work and commercial potential. Particular attention will be given to the scientific basis of the work. Applications that showcase the capabilities of research laboratories (e.g. specific equipment, unique know-how, etc) are encouraged. For more information, visit Research Capacity Track page.
Training: Applicants to the Competition Track and Research Track, will have the opportunity to receive training and mentoring before the Forum to better prepare their business case and presentations/pitches. To this end, training workshops featuring world-class trainers will be hosted by the Centre for Entrepreneurship on: Design Thinking, Business Modeling, Pitching, Introduction to Financial Principles, Incorporating a company in Cyprus, and the Intellectual Property regime of Cyprus.
Evaluation: All applications to the Competition and Research Tracks will be evaluated by a committee of top level international business executives, including innovation experts, angel investors, venture capitalists, successful entrepreneurs from Cyprus and abroad, representatives of The Hellenic Initiative (THI) and the MIT Enterprise Forum Greece.
Student Track Selection Criteria: Applications to the Student Track will be based on novelty, scientific or technical merit, presentation quality, and potential for business or social impact. For more information, visit Student Track page.
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