Cash, services, laboratories, instruments, management support, networking with enterprises and investors: this is what Nanochallenge and Polymerchallenge 2012 offers.
Since 2005 the Buisness Plan Competition rewards the best international startup projects in nanotechnology and polymer-based materials, uncovering breakthrough applications and attracting the best entrepreneurial talents, in order to give them the actual opportunity to create a startup.
Nanochallenge is organized by Veneto Nanotech, the Italian Cluster of Nanotechnology and, since 2007, by IMAST, Technological District on polymeric and composite materials engineering and structures.
Veneto Nanotech and IMAST aim at attracting the best nanotechnology innovations / polymer-based materials applications and business ideas in the Clusters, offering financial and strategic support to scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs ready to start a real company.
The new entrepreneurs have access to our facilities, labs, instruments and financial network to develop their technologies and products. This helps them speed the development phase and enter the market.
Nanochallenge and Polymerchallenge poses itself as an “entrepreneurship womb” involving important players in the nanotech and advanced polymer-based materials fields, such as talented researchers, phd students, entrepreneurs, mentors, venture capitalists, business angels, in an environment that fosters aspiring business ideas.
GET 600.000 Euro NOW!!!
The competition offers a total amount of 600.000 euro: 300.000 euro for startups participating in the nanotechnology category and 300.000 euro for the polymer-based materials category.
After the selection of the best business proposals, an international Jury will select the finalists during the Selection Event, in Padua – Italy, on October 30th and 31st, 2012.
Nanotechnology category
The winners of the nanotechnology category will receive a total amount of € 300.000 from Veneto Nanotech to start their operations inside the national Nanotechnology Cluster in the Veneto Region, north-east of Italy. The best selected projects will have the unique chance to become part of Veneto Nanotech and have access to facilities like Nanofab, Ecsin and LaNN. The prize is an early stage funding.
Polymer-based materials category
The winners of the polymer-based materials categorey will receive a total amount of € 300.000 from IMAST to fund a start-up preferably in the Technological District on polymeric and composite materials of the Campania Region, south-west of Italy with access to IMAST labs and facilities.
WHO CAN COMPETE?
Anybody anywhere with an innovative and high-growth nanotechnology or polymer-based materials business idea can participate and try to win one of the Prizes. The money must be used to start a company in the territory where the two clusters are located: Venetian area for the nanotechnology category and south-west Italy for the polymer-based materials category of IMAST.
Prizes of the two categories are not cumulative: teams must compete either for the nanotechnology or the polymer-based materials category.
