The COSMOTE StartUp, project gains a new ‘identity’. It that had been proclaimed in April as part of the company’s Corporate Responsibility Plan, whose function had however been suspended.
The project has been organized by Found.ation, in cooperation with the public relations company Asset Ogilvy and the Hellenic Management Association. Cosmote, which offers its name to the project, is the main supporter within the framework of the action “O Cosmos mas, esy” (lit. “Our World, You”), yet bears no responsibility for the implementation and the conducting of the project.
The applications must be submitted by December 4th and 40 teams will be selected from them that will be invited to participate in the final phase (Selection Day). The final choice will produce the top 10 teams, who will participate in the three-month- program COSMOTE StartUp. Both stages of the selection process will have a joint committee of 6 members (1 person from the Hellenic Management Association, 1 from Found.ation, 2 from Cosmote, 1 from Ogilvy and 1 from Google).
The participants will be trained in a series of lessons on the establishment of a company, the correct development of their idea and practical entrepreneurial aspects. Handpicked coaches will contribute to a large extent in the evolution of the teams and the development of their business plans and will have the opportunity to attend seminars with important speakers from the Greek business stage.
The 10 teams will have the chance to pitch the most developed version of their business proposal after three months of intensive training during an “Investors’ Day” where Greek investment groups, private investors and funds from abroad are expected to attend.
Among the trainers, there will be Evangelos Kaimakis (Professor of Industrial Design Dept., AKTO School), Marcel Cremer (Legal expert, specialized in startup and arbitration issues, Cremer & Partners), John Papadatos (Legl Expert, specialized in Copyright issues), Dimitris Moutsatsos (In charge of R@D, Warr & IT Director, MAD TV), Zissis Bellas (Web Designer, Co-Founder and CCO, Pollfish), Savvas Georgiou (Technology Director, Daily Secret), Aristotelis Michailidis (Professor of Industrial Design, AKTO School), Panagiotis Vitakis (Vice President of Operations, Persado), Marianna Skylakaki (Financial Analyst, “TEDx Athens 2013” Organization Committee member) and Dimitris Vranopoulos (Startup investor, Consultant for the setting up of Action Finance Initiative).
Cosmote Startup is seeking ideas from many different sectors of the economy. Agricultural development, tourism, technology and retail are indicative examples without however excluding any other idea which offers entrepreneurial interest and can ‘convince’ that it covers (or creates) a need.
Between 2 and 3 participants per team are required.
A business plan is not a prerequisite. However, teams with an understanding of the market and their objective, the competition and the comparative advantage of their product/service will be in a position to take advantage of the program in a more efficient way.
Cosmote Startup cannot sign any confidentiality agreement due to the plethora of applications. The ideas will be presented only to the Evaluation Committee.
The whole Cosmote Startup project will be hosted in an especially arranged venue of OTEAcademy (strategic partner of the project), which will be ‘sealed off’ during the project’s duration with access being granted only to the participants and other people supporting the project.
Any startup can apply for the project, even if it has already been funded by seed investment (to the maximum of €60,000). The responsibilities of each team during the project include their presence at the venue and their attendance of the training sessions. Last but not least, the active participation of the whole team during the meetings with the coaches and the prompt submission of the progress reports also constitute fundamental conditions.