For the second year in a row, during Codemotion, InnovAction Lab organises a big event entirely dedicated to startups. The Idea is to let the startups present themselves to developers in order to find new staff to employ and in some cases also co-founders.

THE AIM

Give to the ITC startups in search of staff, visibility in the biggest event in Italy for developers. Transmit to the developers the idea that to work in a startup is a better opportunity than any other!

HOW DOES IT WORK

• The startups will have to send their application within the 1st March
• The jury of InnovAction Lab will select the 8 best Startups participating on Saturday 9th March in Rome at a (free of charge) course by InnovAction Lab on how to enhance one’s own pitch.
• All the 8 finalist startups will have a desk at Codemotion. Furthermore, the startups that will be judged among the top 5 will present themselves with a 10 min pitch before developers and investors in the program of Codemotion on 22nd March.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE

ITC startups that are either non-incorporated or that were incorporated after 01.01.2010, with a turnover that was inferior to 200,000€ in 2012.

WHAT IS THE PRIZE

For the 8 finalists:

• Desk in the startup area at Codemotion 22nd and 23rd March (last year there were over 3,700 participants in two days)
• Logo on Codemotion website
• Totem with the logo of the startup and of the event
• Only for the top 5 selected startups (other than what is mentioned above): 10 min talk in the program, in order to present the startup to the developers

HOW TO PARTICIPATE Send the following to codemotion@innovactionlab.org within 1st March

• a pdf file containing a filename with the following naming convention: StartupName.pdf (ex. Codemotion.pdf, Secondlife.pdf)
• the file must contain 1,000 words maximum
• the words will be counted through the service http://felix-cat.com/tools/wordcount/
• any file not following the naming convention or impossible to check using the above mentioned service or containing over 1,000 words will be discarded (with no “flexibility” and no exception made)
• both documents in English and in Italian will be accepted
• the file will have to include at least the following information:
  • Name* of the Startup including the company name (e.g.: Ltd, Inc… If the Startup is not a corporate company yet, do not write anything)
  • Date* of incorporation (if not yet a corporate company write “still to be incorporated”)
  • Annual turnover of year 2012 (in the event of absence of the turnover write 0€)
  • Give a clear description of what you do and which problem you resolve. Avoid technical terminology and make sure what you say can be also comprehended by your grandmother
  • State clearly who are your clients and how you intend to reach them. If you already have users, state who they are and how you reach them. Do not make the mistake of confusing the users (that are often the product) with the clients (who are those who pay). For example, on Facebook you are users and those who post advertisements are the clients.
  • State the market you are addressing and give an evaluation about how big is it and how it grows. Do you reckon you have a global market or a European or National market or one of another kind? How many billion $ is this market worth? Is it a market that grows at least on a double figures scale? Avoid making nonsense statements (e.g.: the website for hotel reservations that indicates the expenses for hotels and not the amount that is given to the online booking systems as the market)
  • Who are you? What is your background? Only write information that gives value to the startup (e.g.: Do not write the mark of your university degree and the name of the university unless it is a highly prestigious one. Do not state that you have been a DJ/waiter/pianist/….unless you are talking about a startup where being a DJ/waiter/pianist is an asset)
  • What point are you at? Do you have a staring point? Do you have any clients? Do you have any investors? Do you have something demonstrating any of this information? Anything else relevant in order to show that you have already had a useful experience
  • Analysis of the competitors. Tip: indicate the names of the main competitors. It seems impossible but 90% of startups do not know who their competitors are: do not make this mistake. Write them down and clearly indicate which advantages you have over them. Another rather common mistake is that of indicating a functional advantage that assumes that the other will not develop anything for the next 10 years, whereas you describe the phantasmagorical features that you will develop from here to eternity. You can use images to save the number of words.
  • Which are your objectives? What will you do in the next 12 months? If possible let us understand where will you be when you become rich and famous and how long will this take you
  • What is cool about your startup/technology? Give a clear explanation of what –among the things you do – is exciting for a developer
  • What are you looking for and why? Developers with specific competences? Co-founders? What for?
  • What do you offer? Do you have any special offers for the people you will employ? And for the co-founders? What does it include? Money? Quotes? Opinions? Free Drinks? The Underground seasonal ticket? Other American-like offers?
• It is possible to attach a video to the file (5 min maximum length). The video will have to be available on YouTube or Vimeo. The video URL has to be indicated in the pdf file (and it will not be counted in the 1,000 words). Both videos in Italian and in English will be accepted. The video – being optional – can be done with any technique (e.g.: animation, screen capture, other) or have any relevant content for the proponents

*WARNING: the information such as name, date and turnover, being relevant for the possibility to participate – and in the case of being selected – obtain free services that others pay, will have to be true statements. Possible checks showing that the statements are untrue will lead to a charge of expenses and damages for having damaged the image of the organizers.
INFORMATION: For any further information about the Startup in Action write to us at codemotion@innovactionlab.org