Armenian startups can apply to Pioneers500 contest

Pioneers Festival is a major technology and entrepreneurship event that will take place in Vienna, Austria, in 2016.

The organizers of the event told Itel.am that Pioneers500 contest will take place within Pioneers Festival where the participation of Armenian startups is encouraged.

Pioneers500 is an opportunity for Armenian startups to meet with famous investors and accelerators, different startups and to attract media attention.

Any start-up – no matter from which corner of the world – that has not already raised more than EUR EUR 3mln financing can participate.

The application can be submitted here by March 30, 2016.

Pioneers will fully cover the event fees that provide two start-ups' representatives with access to the Pioneers Festival that will not include the transportation and accommodation fees.

A jury will nominate the most outstanding 10 teams from 500 startups in 7 nominations:
Materials & Manufacturing, Financial Services, Mobility & Transportation, Business & Productivity, Life Sciences & Agriculture, Energy & Utilities and Lifestyle & Entertainment.

The elected 70 teams will get the exclusive mentoring opportunity from Pioneers Ventures, will present their startups within Mentors Day getting included in 3 week mentoring program and get presented to over 300 international investors in May 23 within Challenge Day.

One startup will be elected as the Pioneer of the Year with Pioneers Challenge’s participation.

“Back in 2009, we started with the mission to support outstanding, innovative early-stage entrepreneurs on their road to success which led to the launch of Pioneers Festival. At the earlier days of Pioneers, we needed financial support from all our attendees to be able to make Pioneers Festival happen, but we have always wanted to provide startups with our unconditional support, and now we can." Andreas Tschas, CEO and Pioneers co-founder, explains.

Itel.am also found out that the organizers are planning on financing 10 of Pioneers500 startups in terms of transportation and accommodation. We will write about it additionally.

Narine Daneghyan