| Participants in to the startup competition | | | | and IMAST high tech clusters. |
| Nanochallenge and Polymerchallenge 2010 have the | | | | So far 56 teams coming from 18 different Countries |
| chance to receive financial and management support | | | | have participated in the Final Contest; 2,4 million euros |
| for the establishment and growth of their business | | | | have been invested in the winning start-ups by |
| ideas. | | | | Veneto Nanotech and IMAT; 7 start-ups have been |
| Veneto Nanotech, the Italian Cluster of | | | | founded; 15 milion euros have been raised in further |
| Nanotechnology, and IMAST, Italian Cluster for | | | | rounds of investments from venture capitalist and |
| polymeric and composite materials and structures, will | | | | industrial partners. |
| award for the 6th following year 600.00 euro to | | | | The Final Contest is a unique moment of networking |
| support researchers and scientists in the | | | | between teas and investors, sponsors and scientific |
| establishment of high tech start-ups. | | | | environment. |
| The international business plan competition develops | | | | Each year Nanochallenge and Polymerchallenge |
| in four steps: | | | | attracts researchers and scientists with innovative |
| - registration and executive summary submission by | | | | ideas from all over the world. Not only the winners |
| September 20, 2010, for the selection of finalist | | | | receive a seed investments for the start-up phase, |
| teams; | | | | but they also receive the opportunity to use the |
| - mentoring, support to translate the technology and | | | | resources and assets of the clusters: laboratories, |
| entrepreneurial idea into a feasible business plan; | | | | instruments, machines, office spaces, competences |
| - final contest, end of November 2010, selection of | | | | from other researchers, management support. |
| the winning projects by an international jury; | | | | Besides winners are supported in raising further |
| - start-up phase, winning teams become real | | | | investments from venture capitalists and private |
| ventures and are incubated inside Veneto Nanotech | | | | equity funds. |