Another step in ‘Stairway to Heaven’

Every startup regardless its development stage - an idea stage or prototype stage, is looking for funding, whether it is from investors, venture capitalists or his/her favorite uncle because one understands that if they run out of money, their startup dies. So the startup development is like a stairway to heaven, and every step requires efforts and commitment. The stairway is not smooth and is full of ups and downs. Sometimes we need to lose small battles in order to win the war. Small battles are pitching opportunities, and such opportunity for Armenian startups is UpStart startup pitching competition organized by INIT and MIC Armenia, which was open to all startups at various stages. More than 80 startups started the war, 30 passed the first round of selection, but only 16 startups won the first battle. They have got selected after pre-screening of applications and one-on-one interviews with organizers. The selected startups represent various sectors and have developed solutions for different market niches.

  1. Startup name: Medas

Description: Mobile application helps people taking medications through scheduling and pointing key aspects of treatment process.

  1. Startup name: MapWork

Description: 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.

  1. Startup name: Terreva

Description: Mobile app provides on-the-spot plant identification and plant-specific care advice to gardeners, houseplant enthusiasts and general public.

  1. Startup name: The localz

Description: Personalized tailor-made daily tours with top-rated local guides. Tourists select one of the predefined tours, customize as they wish, get offers from top rated local guides and select the best one based on previous ratings and comments.

  1. Startup name: Teddy

Description: Mobile app not only gives children something they would love to play with, but also teaches them colors, painting and thinking creatively.

  1. Startup name: MyDayatHome

Description: Complex solution is composed of software and hardware, designed for health and nursing care providers. It consists of a docking station and an application.

  1. Startup name: Mem Talk

Description: Digital storytelling mobile app that helps students take notes of live lectures in most compact form possible by combining voice with photos in real time. Also suitable for educators to create visual courses on the spot and give students access to them.

  1. Startup name: IES

Description: Development of science-based and entertaining full-dome (360˚) movies for educational institutions that will lead to improvement of the quality and productiveness of education.

  1. Startup name: GetTreated

Description: Platform organizes every step of the patient’s medical travel by automatically booking consultations, operations dates, flights, hotels and more.

  1. Startup name: Wherever360

Description: Mobile solution segments the HUMAN BODY and creates a standalone layer, permitting the user to change the background with a 360 video that rotates like a true location.

  1. Startup name: Web Shark

Description: Web application security solution is designed to stop constantly evolving threats by preventing malicious attacks targeting your website before they impact your business.

  1. Startup name: Yevista

Description: Online platform allows users rate and leave reviews about various local businesses, including cafes, restaurants, public places, websites and nearly everything.

  1. Startup name: P2P

Description: Peer to peer lending platform enables individuals with small savings, as well as institutional investors provide consumer loans directly to borrowers.

  1. Startup name: Booking

Description: The solution helps restaurants find new potential clients, improve table management and promote their events and special offers. The solution helps potential diners with easy table-booking.

  1. Startup name: Certifier

Description: Mobile application assists developers in the generation of iOS development certificates. It generates an organized folder with all certificates with just one click.

  16. Startup name: MedInfo

Description: Electronic Health Information System is developed for all types of health care facilities, including hospitals, policlinics and laboratories.

Now the selected startups need to pass a two-day pitching and fundraising booth-camp in MIC Armenia and practice their pitching-selling-negotiating skills, which will be demonstrated on October 29 (Saturday) at 5.30pm in Marriott Armenia hotel (Tigran Mets hall) during the UpStart on-stage battle. The witnesses of their battle will be 50+ local and foreign businessmen, VC fund representatives from Russia, France and other countries, and professionals from the field of IT from different parts of the world. If you want to participate in the event and see a battle of innovative ideas, hurry to register HERE. The winner will receive $2,500, and all the finalists will have an opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with the initiators of the event, who are looking for awesome and investable early-stage startups and are considering to invest $50,000-200,000. Good luck to all 16 startups. More steps to overcome.