This year’s speciality is one of the venues for the opening and closing of the startup event: From 30 January to 1 February the “Startup Days” will take place at the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana and the nearby economic high school. The organisers under the patronage of the Slovenian President, Mr. Borut Pahor, are making efforts to empower and encourage the participants “to dare make their ideas come true”.
Startup Days at the Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace, the venue for the Startup Days; Photo credit: Ustvarjalnik
Mr. Pahor is a great supporter of youth entrepreneurship in Slovenia and is also a honorary patron of the Ustvarjalnik organisaion. While the solemn opening with the speech of the President and the closing, along with the final pitching and awards, will take place at the Presidential Palace, the mentoring and the development of the project ideas will be held at the nearby economic high school.
At the beginning of the 54 hours event, the participants will have the chance to pitch their ideas on the stage in only 60 seconds. The eight most promising ideas will be chosen, teams will be formed and the working weekend can start.
The teams will be guided and supported by ten mentors but also successful Slovenian entrepreneurs such as Boštjan Špetič, the founder of Zemanta, will help participants develop their ideas into succesfull products.
In the end, a panel of five judges among whom Gregor Koprivnik (founder of ličila.si) and Anja Renko (founder of tooniaapps) will select the best idea, the best pitch, the best product, the best social impact and the best mentor. Moreover, the public will also get the chance to vote for the idea they like the most.
The ticket prize of 70 euros covers three meals per day as well as accommodation, and members of Ustvarjalnik will get a special discount of 35 euros. Tickets for the event are still available here.
Boosting future entrepreneurs
Ustvarjalnik is a social venture that addresses high unemployment rates in Slovenia by bringing successful entrepreneurs into secondary schools and teaching entrepreneurial principles to the next generation. Over the last five years they covered 52 high schools across Slovenia, which is one third of all secondary schools in the country and now they are scaling abroad.
