Eligibility

The Competition is open to anyone, there are no preclusions.

Anybody from anywhere in the world, who has an innovative and high-growth nanotechnology or polymer-based materials business project can participate.

Teams must be composed of two members at least, usually representing the CEO and CTO of the business project.

Who can participate?

Students
Researchers
Scientists
Professors
Entrepreneurs
Inventors

To participate in Nanochallenge and Polymerchallenge 2011 any idea must have the following characteristics:

Nanotechnology or polymer-based materials related
Nanotechnology is defined as the techniques and procedures used to manipulate the matter at the nanoscale level (10-9 m). For a broader definition please refer to classification systems of Patent Offices (i.e. USPTO, EPO, WIPO, etc.).
Business oriented
The objective of the competition is to promote the creation of start-up ventures in Italy, in any application field of nanotechnology or polymer-based materials, in the Veneto Region (North-East of Italy) and the Campania Region (South-West of Italy). Participants must aim at developing their ideas into real business.
Start-up phase
The competition is intended for new business ideas and not to provide expansion capital to existing businesses. Owners of existing businesses are not precluded from entering the competition. However, the Organising Committee reserves the right to evaluate the eligibility of teams that have already started operations (the product or service has already been delivered to the customers, or the company has already been established), on a case-by-case basis. Within such limitations, existing business owners are encouraged to enter.
Headquarters inside Veneto Nanotech and IMAST
Teams receiving the Prize of the nanotechnology category must relocate in the Veneto Region and start operations inside Veneto Nanotech, the Italian Cluster of Nanotechnology (north-east Italy). Teams receiving the Prize of the polymer-based materials category must relocate in the Campania Region and start operations inside IMAST, the Italian Technological District on Polymeric and Composite Materials Engineering and Structures (south-west Italy).