MOSCOW, Nov. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- How can the city and the business community start a constructive dialogue and exchange ideas on collaboration? To find the answer, the Moscow Agency of Innovations has launched a series of networking events titled Startup Cafe. Designed to foster informal interaction among experts, entrepreneurs, investors, and government representatives, the series premiered this summer at the Digital Business Space (DBS).
The main idea of such meetings is to source solutions that can transform the city's traditional development models in specific domains and advance technological leadership in them.
A team of experts has analyzed 2018 Russia venture investor preferences and selected several topics for future Startup Cafe meetings: FinTech, HealthTech, EdTech, MobilePropTech, Transport & Logistics, FoodTech, and Smart City.
The Digital Business Space provides a favorable environment for these meetings. The venue is a unique business and technology hub that facilitates projects much needed by Moscow. It offers a comfortable workspace to startups, which can take advantage of the city's information and education support and run pilot tests of their solutions.
Three Startup Cafe meetings have been held at the DBS to date. One of the major obstacles to successful collaboration of the city and the business community, according to the participants of the meetings, is a high level of red tape that entrepreneurs have to endure when working with any state organizations. Another problem comes from the time it takes to review proposals, for example, for government tenders or grants.
The participants are interested in services that could accelerate their getting in touch with the city's state customers. As potential support options, the participants named joint pilot projects with the city and an easier access to the state procurement system. A growing interest of large Russian banks in establishing partnerships with tech companies and startups is seen by the participants as a positive trend. Acceleration programs set a good example for large businesses wishing to expand their presence in the startup ecosystem.
On 22 November, investors will meet again with potential partners to discuss smart city technologies.
To join the discussion, please contact the organization committee at GudovichIL@develop.mos.ru.
The meeting will take place on 22 November at 10.30 a.m. at the Digital Business Space (Moscow, Pokrovka Str., 47).
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