Three best start-up projects selected at CSTB’2014 in Moscow

Three best projects have been selected during GS Startup TV contest within CSTB'2014 in Moscow. The most attractive ones in organizers’ opinion have been forwarded to the holding’s Venture department. In the near-term prospect they have all chances to get serious investment.

The contest organized by GS Group holding allowed the start-up project teams to show their potential to the leading industry experts, get information and financial support. The organizing committee chose five most interesting ideas out of the 25 submitted for the competition. The authors got an opportunity to make presentations to the jury. They received modern gadgets as a prize from the organizer of the contest, GS Group, multi-industry hi-tech holding of Russian origin.

«In my opinion, this start-up session has shown the main trend — innovative projects in the field of television do exist», — head of GSVenture department at GS Group, Sergey Filimonov commented. «Within the last three weeks we have received 25 proposals and prevailing majority of them fully comply with the set requirements. Five projects were presented to the experts at CSTB».

Zoom TV, one of the projects submitted for contest, won the third place. It is an application for Smart TV which provides users with a smart opportunity to switch channels. Today the number of TV channels can amount to hundreds and their switching has become quite tedious. Authors of the project offered how to make it more convenient and modern.

The second place went to Telechip «smart set-top box» project. Among its benefits are efficiency and versatility solutions (TV with Internet and telecommunication services) as well as convenience for new users who are not very well versed in modern devices.

The first place was awarded to «Trendo», the service which aims to provide users with easy access to Runet legal video content.

«Three teams were selected by the jury as the best ones in terms of presenting their products», — said Sergey Filimonov. «This does not yet guarantee investments in these projects, but their competent, interesting, well-reasoned presentation lets us start talking about serious funding. We are willing to invest, but not for investments as such — it is important to us synergy with our commercial and industrial interests»

Cooperation with GS Venture department offers unique opportunities for the developers of innovative products. Investments can range from 500 thousand rubles up to 300 million rubles. The total venture capital fund amounts to1.5 billion rubles in 2013-2014. GS Group, the leader of high-tech segment in Russian Federation, is ready to support commercialization of projects based on its own numerous activities from microelectronics to nanotechnology. In addition, the project team will be able to implement start-up projects on site at Technopolis GS, private innovation cluster n the Kaliningrad region being developed by GS Group since 2008.

Besides the contest, as a part of start-up meeting the round table «Support for innovative projects in the field of TV» was held. It was attended by representatives of GS Group, Higher School of Economics, Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics, «Tricolor TV» satellite operator, Center for the commercialization of innovations and other speakers from the leading companies and educational institutions in the sphere of telecommunications.