Telekom Srbija has launched “mts startup acceleration” program that is intended for Startup Academy attendants, which has opened for the fifth time the door of Startit centre for entrepreneurs in the field of information and communication technologies in Serbia.
In this way, Telekom Srbija will provide support for the Academy participants through mentoring engagement and relevant speakers and up to 3 most successful entrepreneurial initiative will be awarded a non-refundable donation in the total amount of 20 thousand euros.
“Within cooperation with SEE ICT association and the company’s commitment to contribution of entrepreneurship development in the field of ICT in the country, Telekom Srbija supported the Startup Academy, since it provides an opportunity for local IT entrepreneurs to learn how to properly implement business strategies, reduce risk and increase the chances of their companies’ success. How starting a business, especially for the first time, represents a major challenge, Telekom Srbija, beside mentoring, cloud services and the Internet, provided significant financial resources, without additional conditionality in terms of share in the future companies”, said Milan Simic, Executive Director for IT Support and ICT Services in Telekom Srbija.
This year, five teams attend the Academy – Ballooner which seeks to make affordable space exploration and transport to the edge of space, Cactomain– a service for a simplified registration of internet domain, Mir Media Group which is working on post-production sound for commercials and movies, AddTag team that has a platform that allows users paying the festivals cards and interaction with brands and APER team that uses a device for collecting data on consumers in retail stores. Each of the teams will have the opportunity to develop their innovative ideas into a sustainable business and make it applicable globally.
Upon the completion of the Academy in April 2017, the jury composed of one representative of Telekom Serbia and SEE ICT associations together with one independent expert will select the three most promising startups that will receive support for further development of their business solutions.
“Many Serbian startups have developed into successful companies and proved to be very possible to start and develop a globally successful company here with a little talent and a lot of work and will. Participants of the fifth generation of Startup Academy will help you to achieve success and this year we have focused on the teams that already show a willingness to demonstrate the competitiveness of their products in the global market. We believe that the knowledge and experience of our trainers and mentors, some of whom will be from the Telekom Srbija company, significantly help young startups in the business maturing, “said Vladimir Trkulja, one of the Startit centre founders.
Representatives of the IT sector along with Startup Academy alumni are proof that the success of Serbia is possible with hard work and commitment to developing products that will be used globally. So far, more than 100 entrepreneurs have passed through the Academy and their projects, such as new web applications, mobile applications and other digital services will have secured more than one million euros of investments from domestic and foreign investors.
“mts startup acceleration” program seeks to provide an additional incentive for the local startup community and entrepreneurs who are willing to provide our innovative products can compete in the global market. In this way, Telekom Srbija is enabling better conditions for the local IT scene development furthermore the overall business environment in Serbia.