Jun 1 2012
Nanochallenge and Polymerchallenge is the unique international business plan competition, completely focused on nanotechnology and polymer-based materials. It awards one of the largest worldwide prizes for the creation of new high tech enterprises. €600,000 are at stake in 2012 - the 8th year of the contest.
Just like previous years, the Competition is open to inventors, students, Phd, scientists, researchers and to start ups with less than three years of life. Participants are supposed to present a business project featuring breakthrough innovation in nanotechnology and polymer-based material.
The competition is organized by Veneto Nanotech, the Italian Cluster of Nanotechnology, and by IMAST, the Italian Cluster for polymeric and composite materials, in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo Start-up Initiative that is once more partner of this year contest.
The two Clusters will award the best projects with funds relying on an overall endowment of 600.000 Euro. Furthermore, winners of the two categories will be given the opportunity to locate their own start-up in one of the clusters, benefiting from the access to laboratories, facilities, management and fund raising support services.
Teams must be composed of minimum two members of any nationality. In the first selection round the Executive Summaries will be evaluated by the Concept Jury committee that will single out the most promising projects and most talented and heterogeneous teams. Selected teams will then be helped by financial and business experts in drafting their business plans. In the Selection Event, the Contest Jury composed by investors, entrepreneurs and scientists will select the Finalist Teams.
The Selection Event will take place on October 30th and 31st 2012 at the University of Padua. It will be a major networking occasion for researchers, international scientists, investors, venture capitalists, business angels, entrepreneurs and R&D Directors of important Companies to gather and meet up. It will also provide selected teams a further opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs and academia.
Finalist teams will then be asked to finalize their business plans. In the following weeks the Organizing Committee will then choose the winners of the 2 categories for the 2012 edition.