Do I need to speak English to attend Mindspace University?
Is someone going to steal my idea if I talk about it?
How many members can my team have?
Can I participate if I have started a legal entity?
Participating Teams must not have a legal entity at the time of application which is related to their project during Mindspace University.
What is Mindspace University?
An intensive 2 month online educational program of webinars, virtual classrooms and 1-1 mentoring sessions on Entrepreneurship Basics and Digital transformation in the Energy sector. The program is organised and delivered by top Greek entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley and Energy Stakeholders from Greek Energy Forum, together with Mindspace.
How does Mindspace University differ from other mentoring entrepreneurial programs?
Mindspace University is not just an educational online program about topics related to entrepreneurship. It is a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to empower university students without prior entrepreneurial experience, venture or start up idea to cultivate entrepreneurial skills and get introduced to the business ecosystem, focusing on different industries each time. In other words it is designed to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industry needs as well as limit the absence of entrepreneurial lessons in university studies. Therefore, the program’s structure and the different stages meet the student’s backgrounds, needs and interests regarding the entrepreneurial world.
Do I need to have an idea to participate in the program?
No, you don’t need to have an idea to participate in the program as we empower you with the right tools and sessions to generate an idea from scratch, focusing in the Energy sector. However, if you do have an idea, we do encourage you to apply as well, because you will have the chance to work on it and improve during the individualised mentoring sessions with entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley - or maybe generate a new one.
Do I need to have a team to participate in the program?
You can apply in the program with your team or as an individual. This means that you are welcome to apply to the program as an individual and we will help you find a team or match you with other talented peers depending on your skills, interests and via team meeting sessions towards the end of the program’s second week. In case that you already have a team, you can apply with your team as well!
Who can apply to join Mindspace University?
Mindspace University welcomes applications from all undergraduate university students or recent alumni (less than 2 years of graduation) all over the Balkan region, that are eager to explore their entrepreneurial characteristics and are interested in Energy. Ideally, the participants should have relevant studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths, Physics, Informatics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Environment and Natural Sciences, but also students with marketing or business development skills can be a great match to the program.
Why should I get involved in Mindspace University?
Besides the prizes, you enjoy multiple educational and networking opportunities, as you:
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Find out about entrepreneurial opportunities in the Energy sector
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Utilise effectively your skills & knowledge to generate market driven business ideas
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Get introduced to entrepreneurial methodologies and mindset
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Share your thoughts with business owners who had the same background with you
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Get advice and mentoring from successful Greek entrepreneurs in US and UK
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Expand your network, meet talented peers and create new partnerships
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Get direct feedback by international investors
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Discuss with startup founders in your field
Do I have to attend all the sessions in the First part of the curriculum?
It is not mandatory to attend all sessions during the First part. However it is highly recommended that you do watch all of the sessions, as the curriculum is structured to give you the information and tools that you need to create a successful idea and claim your seat to 1-1 Mentoring sessions in January and the Final Awards.
What do the 1-1 mentoring sessions include?
The 10 best teams that are selected from a judging committee at the end of the first stage will have a 1-1 interaction with the mentors so as to dive into more details and experiment on entrepreneurial tools in order to finalize their business model & create a small prototype or a pitch video. Each mentor will be engaged with one specific team for two mentoring sessions to help that team improve their idea for the final pitch. Moreover, the platform that will be used in the program would allow for the mentors to interact with that team through chat inside the platform as well. Moreover, each team gets a public speaking and presentation workshop to prepare their pitch for the finals. More details about mentors' bios are available on Mindspace website.
Does it cost anything to join Mindspace University?
No, participating in Mindspace University is completely free.
How will I be notified of my application status?
Once we receive your application, we will review it and come back with an email to notify you directly of your application status and the steps that you need to know in case that you got accepted. Keep in mind that there are limited seats as we focus on qualitative results of the program.
Who are the judges of Mindspace University Finals?
The competition judges are carefully selected individuals from the Energy Greek ecosystem and from abroad with relevant experience and expertise in the Energy sector, including venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, business executives, academics and other successful and knowledgeable business leaders. More details about the judges' bios will be available soon on Mindspace website.
What are the key judging criteria when reviewing the applications?
Judges will be looking at a range of criteria including strength of technology usage, proof of concept (working prototype or service), level of innovation, knowledge of the market, market fit, team’s background, know-how and abilities and company’s growth potentials in the global market. Each judge’s score is weighed equally. The overall selection is based on the viability and likely success of the business. Moreover, the community of program participants will also be able to vote and the community’s vote as a whole will be weighed equally as one judge's vote.