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6 June 2014
Money and Knowledge: What Startup Entrepreneurs Expect from GenerationS
The first hurdle has been passed: the CleanTech Track of the Russian nationwide GenerationS Accelerator Contest has announced the best 10 projects in the clean technology segment. While early-stage entrepreneurs are eagerly awaiting the start of the acceleration program, developing new projects in the field of resource conservation, we decided to ask some of them why they entered the contest and why they feel that their projects are the best.
Artem Sotnikov, Head of Development at BioMicroGels NPO, LLC:
“One really valuable thing is that the GenerationS contest, including the CleanTech Track, are organized to the highest international standards. Organization matters are at the top of our priorities list, as by the end of this year, we are planning to apply for patents overseas, and this means that we have to be ready on all fronts. Some stages of the CleanTech program will take place not only in Russia, but also in the US, for example, and interacting with international colleagues is going to be quite useful for us.
“Our project aims to create new ways to cleanse water of complex pollutants, oils, heavy metal ions. We have created substances with a micro gel formula that cover the soil with a resilient film and remove harmful substances from the soil. Right now, we are working to confirm the effectiveness of this technology, and are planning to license the production and use of our reagents. We are planning to raise investments to confirm the viability of the technology and create demand for the product, and also for further product development. We are certainly convinced that our project is going to be successful, as it is an innovative business, which is sure to find its consumer.”
Elena Levina , Nanoserv: a Second Life for Heating Equipment Project Manager:
“We came to GenerationS to learn something new, to gain additional professional experience, and to raise investments to scale up our business. Our project is ready for deployment, and has been taken to market. We have some customers, we have sales, but we grow too fast; the business requires additional production capacity, additional resources and additional expenses. And we are planning to find them at the contest.
“We really look forward to an opportunity to raise our skill level and get new contacts with the right people – as a top priority. Very good, highly skilled experts are involved in the program, who have given us the kind of feedback that is really going to help our business.”
Yana Chekryzhova, Sorption Polymers for Agricultural Applications Project Manager:
“GenerationS is a very interesting contest that opens up tremendous opportunities. First of all, it provides excellent assistance from mentors, and, second, it gives startup entrepreneurs a way to raise investments and grow as startuppers.
“Our project offers hydrogels for agricultural uses. At first blush, what can one invent in this field that’s new? But we decided to use nanotechnology, and got an innovative solution: our product will help to irrigate the soil in arid countries around the world, and in some parts of Russia: in Kalmykia, Saratov and Orenburg Regions, and even Crimea have expressed interest in our hydrogels.”
Alexander Smotritsky, WiseSoil Project Manager:
“Our project – WiseSoil – is a revolution in the field of recycling organic waste. We propose doubling the efficiency of biogas plants using a device which costs only about 5% as much as the plant.
“Chances are I won’t be the first to say that participation in GenerationS opens up new opportunities, including opportunities for professional growth and establishing new connections. Having contacts with the right people is very important for any startup entrepreneur. Here you can meet them literally everywhere – you only have to have the will to make new contacts.”
Evgeny Trakhimets, Managing Partner, AeroGreen:
“It is really great that startups were divided into tracks for the GenerationS contest: now every project that’s really worth something has a greater chance to get into the acceleration program and become noticed in its narrow field. We had a great number of very interesting projects in our field, which we ourselves were happy to hear about and figure out how it all works. We are really happy that a contest like this has been organized in Russia because it makes it possible to pinpoint and convey specific information about specific projects to investors and experts with a matching expertise.”
Dmitry Mokhov, ECOMFM Project Co-founder:
“We have joined the contest to get some exposure and find an investor who would be inspired by our project idea and would be prepared to promote it and take it to the market together with us. The fact that we got into the finals prove that everything is going according to plan, and that we have a real chance to reach our objectives.
“We have created a device that improves fuel quality for road vehicles, locomotives and ships. It can reduce the consumption of gasoline, diesel fuel or fuel oil, while reducing the harmful atmospheric emissions. Our invention is highly needed at this time, and is a very good fit with the present-day market requirements.”
Alexander Mikhailov, CEO of Zin-o-Ferr project aiming to make corrosion-resistant zinc-silicate coating:
“We came to GenerationS with a project to make anti-corrosive coating. Metal corrosion is a significant problem around the world: anywhere you look, you can see a rusting surface. We have found a solution by creating a coating which is going to be inexpensive on the one hand and durable on the other. And most importantly, it is absolutely environmentally friendly. We hope that the combination of all these qualities will ensure a tremendous future for the project.
“GenerationS is an opportunity to get exposure, to prove that our anti-corrosive coating can be presented in the clean technology field, unlike competing products.”
Vladimir Kanin, Leader of the Optiflame Project:
“To ensure success of our project to create safe wind generators for residential and commercial areas, we needed to participate in a larges-scale clean technology contest. Clearly, this experience will give us a way to recruit new resources for the business – both tangible, material, and additional brainpower. In addition, the chance to interact with CleanTech experts face to face has enabled us to get a new perspective on our project, identifying shortcomings which we previously overlooked. We also got a couple of useful new ideas, and we have already found contacts to develop those ideas further. I think that our participation in the acceleration program will definitely help us to find a strategic business partner we are looking for so actively.”
“One really valuable thing is that the GenerationS contest, including the CleanTech Track, are organized to the highest international standards. Organization matters are at the top of our priorities list, as by the end of this year, we are planning to apply for patents overseas, and this means that we have to be ready on all fronts. Some stages of the CleanTech program will take place not only in Russia, but also in the US, for example, and interacting with international colleagues is going to be quite useful for us.
“Our project aims to create new ways to cleanse water of complex pollutants, oils, heavy metal ions. We have created substances with a micro gel formula that cover the soil with a resilient film and remove harmful substances from the soil. Right now, we are working to confirm the effectiveness of this technology, and are planning to license the production and use of our reagents. We are planning to raise investments to confirm the viability of the technology and create demand for the product, and also for further product development. We are certainly convinced that our project is going to be successful, as it is an innovative business, which is sure to find its consumer.”
Elena Levina , Nanoserv: a Second Life for Heating Equipment Project Manager:
“We came to GenerationS to learn something new, to gain additional professional experience, and to raise investments to scale up our business. Our project is ready for deployment, and has been taken to market. We have some customers, we have sales, but we grow too fast; the business requires additional production capacity, additional resources and additional expenses. And we are planning to find them at the contest.
“We really look forward to an opportunity to raise our skill level and get new contacts with the right people – as a top priority. Very good, highly skilled experts are involved in the program, who have given us the kind of feedback that is really going to help our business.”
Yana Chekryzhova, Sorption Polymers for Agricultural Applications Project Manager:
“GenerationS is a very interesting contest that opens up tremendous opportunities. First of all, it provides excellent assistance from mentors, and, second, it gives startup entrepreneurs a way to raise investments and grow as startuppers.
“Our project offers hydrogels for agricultural uses. At first blush, what can one invent in this field that’s new? But we decided to use nanotechnology, and got an innovative solution: our product will help to irrigate the soil in arid countries around the world, and in some parts of Russia: in Kalmykia, Saratov and Orenburg Regions, and even Crimea have expressed interest in our hydrogels.”
Alexander Smotritsky, WiseSoil Project Manager:
“Our project – WiseSoil – is a revolution in the field of recycling organic waste. We propose doubling the efficiency of biogas plants using a device which costs only about 5% as much as the plant.
“Chances are I won’t be the first to say that participation in GenerationS opens up new opportunities, including opportunities for professional growth and establishing new connections. Having contacts with the right people is very important for any startup entrepreneur. Here you can meet them literally everywhere – you only have to have the will to make new contacts.”
Evgeny Trakhimets, Managing Partner, AeroGreen:
“It is really great that startups were divided into tracks for the GenerationS contest: now every project that’s really worth something has a greater chance to get into the acceleration program and become noticed in its narrow field. We had a great number of very interesting projects in our field, which we ourselves were happy to hear about and figure out how it all works. We are really happy that a contest like this has been organized in Russia because it makes it possible to pinpoint and convey specific information about specific projects to investors and experts with a matching expertise.”
Dmitry Mokhov, ECOMFM Project Co-founder:
“We have joined the contest to get some exposure and find an investor who would be inspired by our project idea and would be prepared to promote it and take it to the market together with us. The fact that we got into the finals prove that everything is going according to plan, and that we have a real chance to reach our objectives.
“We have created a device that improves fuel quality for road vehicles, locomotives and ships. It can reduce the consumption of gasoline, diesel fuel or fuel oil, while reducing the harmful atmospheric emissions. Our invention is highly needed at this time, and is a very good fit with the present-day market requirements.”
Alexander Mikhailov, CEO of Zin-o-Ferr project aiming to make corrosion-resistant zinc-silicate coating:
“We came to GenerationS with a project to make anti-corrosive coating. Metal corrosion is a significant problem around the world: anywhere you look, you can see a rusting surface. We have found a solution by creating a coating which is going to be inexpensive on the one hand and durable on the other. And most importantly, it is absolutely environmentally friendly. We hope that the combination of all these qualities will ensure a tremendous future for the project.
“GenerationS is an opportunity to get exposure, to prove that our anti-corrosive coating can be presented in the clean technology field, unlike competing products.”
Vladimir Kanin, Leader of the Optiflame Project:
“To ensure success of our project to create safe wind generators for residential and commercial areas, we needed to participate in a larges-scale clean technology contest. Clearly, this experience will give us a way to recruit new resources for the business – both tangible, material, and additional brainpower. In addition, the chance to interact with CleanTech experts face to face has enabled us to get a new perspective on our project, identifying shortcomings which we previously overlooked. We also got a couple of useful new ideas, and we have already found contacts to develop those ideas further. I think that our participation in the acceleration program will definitely help us to find a strategic business partner we are looking for so actively.”
