GVA LaunchGurus is training and selecting projects for the federal accelerator GenerationS

RVC holds the federal accelerator GenerationS since 2013. It is expected that GenerationS-2015 will receive more than 1,000 applications. After pre-selection, projects will take part in the Pre-Accelerator and receive online training. The participants will watch video lectures, complete special tests, and work on their projects under remote guidance by mentors. Then at least the top 200 technology start-ups in the country will enter the live stage of the Pre-Accelerator, where for five days leading market experts and business coaches will be preparing them to selection for GenerationS-2015 corporate accelerators - Power&Energy, Telecom, Robotics, Aerspace, SmartCity, Oil&Gas, and BiotechMed.

GVA LaunchGurus that has become the operator of the Pre-Accelerator is a unique project to support entrepreneurs and investors, bringing together under one brand a private start-up accelerator, program for development, cooperation, improving competences and joint investments for business angels and venture capitalists, and venture capital fund that invests in companies at an early stage with the potential for global growth.

"The main purpose of the GenerationS Pre-Accelerator is to provide entrepreneurs with the necessary basic knowledge to develop their own businesses and make a diagnosis and selection of the best projects to be accelerated in industrial tracks of GenerationS," says Zamir Shukhov, Executive Director of GVA LaunchGurus. "For this purpose, we have included in the Pre-Accelerator program the best international educational practices and case studies that will allow the participants to refine their projects in line with the expectations and demands of the expert community. At each step of the program, projects will be evaluated by the leading Russian and foreign experts."

The online Pre-Accelerator will take place in July. It will consist of 8 blocks and 16 video lectures, including tests, project work, expert advice, and assistance by mentors. The result of the online Pre-Accelerator will be a ready-made advanced project profile - a detailed questionnaire describing the team, product features, market situation, financial and economic parameters, and other aspects. The final part will be skype interviews with industry mentors. Top 200 projects were selected based on the interviews will be invited to participate in an offline Pre-Accelerator in Moscow to be held in August.

The Offline Pre-Accelerator Program is a five-day course on efficient assessment and elaboration of business projects, including full-time educational activities and workshops, networking, consulting, packaging projects, improvement of professional skills of the participants, and expert sessions that will be held separately for each track with involvement of the corporate partners.

The Offline Pre-Accelerator is held using a wide variety of business and educational practices. The training includes the following:

• Presentation and opportunity to have personal discussions with guest speakers that are successful Russian businessmen, such as Oleg Tinkoff, Oskar Hartmann, and Andrey Romanenko;
• Coaching face-to-face by leading experts, business coaches, and mentors of the industry;
• Participation in practical master classes, workshops, and lectures to gain experience and skills in market research, customer research, segmentation, packaging and launch of the project, its evaluation, marketing, and protection;
• Communication and project pitches with real investors;
• Wide networking with leading experts, business coaches, mentors, and investors;
• Opportunity to win prizes and grants from the organizers to develop the project;
• PR and promotion of the project;
• Meeting with colleagues from across the country;
• Bringing your own project to a brand new level of preparation for introduction into business.