StartupAwards.SK looking for tech innovators

If you’re a young Slovak technology company, listen up! On 22 November, the Slovak startup community is coming together to celebrate innovative minds and creative vision. If you’re one of them, make sure to apply for the awards in one of four categories by 1 November!

The StartupAwards.SK is an annual competition for early-stage tech Slovak companies, or projects that are technologically innovative in their respective fields. “Unlike most startup events, Startup Awards.SK wants to highlight the best of all innovative business across various disciplines including the digital segment, science and engineering, art and design and social enterprise. We aim to be seen as the “Oscars” for innovative companies in Slovakia,” wrote the StartupAwards.SK team in a press release.

The Awards

StartupAwards.SK will celebrate innovative projects in four areas:

Startup Award DIGITAL is geared towards technological startups working on innovative solutions in IT, web, mobile and media. Last year’s DIGITAL winner was Excalibur, a startup that provides seamless security for all websites using only a mobile phone as the login token. Walk to the computer and you are logged into Facebook or Twitter; walk away and you’re logged out.

Startup Award SCIENCE awards business models born in science and engineering labs. Last year, A*space won the SCIENCE award for their work building smartphone devices and disposable kits for human pathogen diagnostics.

Startup Award ART & DESIGN recognises tech businesses that offer products and solutions in art and design. Asana took the 2012 ART & DESIGN title for building the world’s first office chair with unique seat that copies the anatomy of one’s calves.

Startup Award SOCIETY is given to the tech startup or project with the highest social impact. Last year Mapz received this recognition for their work in tackling the need for the physical presence of an assistant for a blind person. Their product uses live video streaming from a smartphone camera to direct the blind person via remote directions.

What’s in it for the winners?

Dreaming of Silicon Valley, Skolkovo or Singapore? No problem! The jury’s favourites in each category get to take a “knowledge tour” in the innovation and business hub of their choice. Also, the winners will benefit from service packages from Neulogy and KPMG.

However, there’s more than a trip (as awesome as it may be) and a service package. Innovative startups have an opportunity to mix and mingle with other entrepreneurs and top business managers, to raise funding for their company or projects, to gain media exposure and even to win tickets to major European and US startup events.

How to apply?

To be eligible for participation in this year’s Startup Awards.SK, you need to be an early-company that is either registered in Slovakia or has one Slovak citizen or resident on the team. However, having an incorporated company is not a must.

Startups can either apply or get nominated. To apply, you need a one-page executive summary about your startup, your team member profiles and a 10-slide presentation. Submit your application here by November 1.

If you’d like to nominate a project for the competition, just shoot at an email to this address by the same deadline.

The judges are looking for early-stage startups or projects that are scalable, provide high value added and have the potential to make regional or global impact. Good luck!