UpStart connects Armenian startups to the global tech community

UpStart, the startup pitching competition, organized by INIT and MIC Armenia has brought new drive and culture to the IT startup community in Armenia. The organizers aimed at connecting Armenian startups with investors and partners.

Within the past few weeks the buzz of fair competition, innovation and team work was in the air of all Armenian startups. More than 80 teams filled out the application, hoping to receive the pitching invitation email, which could open many investment windows for them. The invitation letter appeared in the inbox of only 16 promising startups, which represent various fields: healthtech, fintech, shared economy, ed-tech, AR/VR, enterprise SaaS, tourism etc. They passed two-day pitching and fundraising booth-camp in MIC Armenia and learnt how to present their produce and attract investments. The battle of ideas took place on October 29 at Marriott Armenia hotel (Tigran Mets hall) during the UpStart on-stage battle.  There were 300+ guests, which included 50+ businessmen and investors, representatives from ABRT Russian VC, AXLR French VC, guests from large Armenian IT companies, representatives of finance and banking, medical fields, educational institutions and universities, etc.

Winners are ...

The jury consisted of professionals, representing various high-level organizations, who evaluated the ideas of startups by certain criteria: innovation, technical feasibility etc and awarded MapWork with the first prize of $2,500.  MapWork is a map-based app for outsourcing small tasks, finding local services, hiring trusted and flexible non-skilled staff both: via mobile and online. It allows professionals and non-professionals to hunt, apply and complete tasks using the platform on the go.The Upstart award is the first monetary award of the startup, which will give another drive to the further promotion. A month ago the startup received also the first prize of ‘Microsoft Cloud SMB Solutions’

The second award of  $1,000 was given to the GetTreated team, which organizes every step of the patient’s medical travel by automatically booking consultations, operations dates, flights, hotels and more.

Tereva was awarded with the third prize for its mobile app, which provides on-the-spot plant identification and plant-specific care advice to gardeners, houseplant enthusiasts and general public.

UpStart is more...

The success of this kind of pitching contests is not only the award but it is much more. UpStart served as a good opportunity for selected startups to pitch in front of professionals, people who have created businesses from scratch. They can give not only constructive feedback but can make investments, become partners or help with connections of professions of specific fields, etc.