Start-Up of the Year national competition receives over 30 applications

The national competition of business projects Start-Up of the Year 2015 has received more than 30 applications, BelTA learned from Alexei Shablovsky, the director of the entrepreneurship support center Start-Up Technologies.

The competition will run from 12 through 13 December as part of the youth innovation week INMAX'15. “The national competition Start-Up of the Year 2015 will be held in Minsk for the first time. It will conclude a series of start-up events Startup Weekend and Invest Weekend held in all parts of Belarus throughout this year. The competition will be the main start-up event of 2015. It will bring together more than 300 entrepreneurs, innovators, scientists, private investors, representatives of investment funds, banks, companies, retail chains, and government agencies,” Alexei Shablovsky said.

The Start-Up of the Year will showcase the most promising projects selected by the Start-Up Technologies center during the year.

The competition is aimed at presenting and promoting breakthrough ideas. “This is a great opportunity for start-up entrepreneurs to get expert opinion, find mentors, and receive funding for their projects. It is also a good opportunity for experts to make a contribution to the promotion of Belarusian start-ups and help young businessmen find partners for the implementation of joint projects. Besides, investors will have a chance to find a start-up that is likely to be a success,” Alexei Shablovsky added.

The national competition Start-Up of the Year 2015 is expected to encourage young people to engage in business activities, promote the development of small and medium-sized businesses, and enhance Belarus’ investment attractiveness.