Any startup can apply. Top twenty will present their ideas on Growth Stage - one of the main stages of the conference to international investors and representatives of VC funds and corporations. Every year over 200 come to Infoshare. The international jury will value the business potential, team and innovation of each project. Three best startups will be awarded. The main prize is EUR 20,000 in cash. The second and third places will receive EUR 7,000 and 3,000 respectively. The founder of the award is the President of Gdańsk, the Honorary Partner of the conference. The recruitment lasts until February 28th, 2020 at the Infoshare website.
A springboard to succeed
Startups are more and more willing to take part in competitions. In 2019, 601 companies applied the Infoshare Startup Contest. It is over 100 more than in 2018. Over half (59%) of applications from the previous edition were Early-stage startups, mainly from Poland (120 companies), Germany (58 companies) and Great Britain (51 companies).
"Participation in an international competition is a chance for young companies to inject cash for developing and scale their businesses. Presenting the big idea of each of those businesses to foreign VCs and representatives of the largest corporations from all around the world becomes a real springboard for startups coming to Infoshare" - says Grzegorz Borowski - CEO of Infoshare, the conference Organizer.
Medtech, Fintech, and e-commerce
Nearly ⅓ of the companies that applied in 2019 offered solutions for medical, financial (banks, insurance companies) and e-commerce sectors. Over 200 submitted applications were blockchain and cryptocurrencies projects.
"We see an increasing number of Fintech projects. In 2019, there were 57 companies offering solutions for the financial industry. This is 2 times more than in 2018. AI projects have been in the top 5 areas for several years, but their in-depth analysis indicates that in many cases it is impossible to talk about artificial intelligence, but rather about machine learning or data analysis," comments Grzegorz Borowski. "At the same time, we see that the projects that apply to Startup Contest are more and more mature, no matter the industry they operate in," he adds.
About Infoshare
Infoshare is the largest technology conference in the CEE region, creating a unique space in which new technologies are combined with business. Thousands of participants come to Gdańsk every year - startups, investors, corporate representatives, programmers and marketers. The 2 - day conference is: 11 thematic stages, 200 speakers, over 150 speeches and accompanying events, which are an opportunity for business networking and exchanging experiences. Infoshare is also a great place for Early-stage startups to develop. Speed Dating enables to arrange individual meetings with investors, Startup Expo Area with dedicated stands allows startups to present their innovative products, and Startup Contest gathers over 500 startups competing for the main prize - EUR 20,000 each year.
In 2020, Infoshare will take place on May 13th and 14th, at Gdańsk Amber Expo. Participants will listen to speeches from 11 thematic scenes. The Inspire Stage will host well-known names as well as inspiring stories of the founders of the largest companies, a review of business innovations and interesting discussion panels. DevTrends Stage is a scene dominated by trends in new technologies. Speakers will tell about AI, machine learning and blockchain topics. Specialized additional scenes: DataTech, Front-End, BackEnd, Security, DeepTech Stages and IT Leaders Stage are a large dose of knowledge for experienced developers and architects. The marketing scene will cover topics related to digital marketing, the use of new technologies in sales and new media. We give Growth Stage to startups, investors and VC representatives. The best names from the technology industry and the business world will appear at Arena Stage to participate in Q&A sessions and answer audience questions.
After the first day of the conference, participants will take part in the Great Networking Party with a live concert that has already permanently appeared on the agenda of the Infoshare Conference. An opportunity for networking and fun is also Before and After Party.
Infoshare - we share what IS worthy