Opera Startup Awards

One of the largest European software developers Opera Software , together with the Department of Technological Entrepreneurship at St. Petersburg State University ITMO and the Inter-University Student Business Incubator “QD”, organizes the Opera Startup Awards youth competition for students as part of the program. The main objective of the Competition is the creation, development and support of new projects based on Opera web technologies.
For the first registered on the Contest website http://mte-opera.ru , from April 20 to April 23, 2011, master classes will be organized at which actual problems and needs of Internet users will be discussed. In the subcortex, we postpone: competition, opera, technology business, prizes . They will share their experience and skills, the secrets of using the latest web standards and unique business strategies at meetings:

• Lead Development Manager Opera in Russia and the CIS Ilya Shpan'kov
• Standards Director Charles McCathieNevile (Charles McCathieNevile)
• Vice President Johan Borg

“We are waiting for developers who are interested in developing their product as a profitable business. Developing solutions for a specific technology can help a startup increase its efficiency, ”commented Marina Sukhorukova, head of the Department of Technological Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management at St. Petersburg State University ITMO, a member of the organizing committee of Opera Startup Awards.
After a series of master classes, the teams will start preparing their projects, which will be presented at the semi-finals on May 21. The finalists will continue to work on projects from May to September, receiving support in the format of commercialization seminars, consultations with mentors from the QD business incubator and representatives from Opera Software.
October 15 will be determined winners Opera Startup Awards. Special prizes including an internship at the Opera Software office and the provision of office space to the team in the QD incubator for further work on the project.
Participation in the Competition and master classes is free.

The number of places at the master classes is limited.

The competition will be held in two stages:

1. Pre-qualifying round.
After the seminars, you can assemble a team (if it does not work out during the course of work at one of the seminars), work out an idea and prepare a presentation.
Each team must be registered by one of its members by May 20, 2011.
After registration, the team receives a confirmation giving the right to participate in the Contest.
Presentation of the project on the qualifying round May 21, 2011.
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2. The Final.

• Work on projects in the summer months in order to obtain a practical result.
• From June to October a series of seminars and workshops in the field of web technologies, innovation and technology business will be organized for the participants of the Contest.
• Participants can also ask Opera representatives questions and receive information support on projects in the Competition forum .
• Presentation of the practical results of the project and the determination of the winners on October 15, 2011.

The requirements are quite ordinary.

But the winners promises:
the opportunity to start your own business with the support of a company with a worldwide reputation and to attract investments in your own project .
Absolutely all contestants will be able to claim valuable prizes from Opera Software, QD business incubator and partner companies.
Also, the organizers of the competition announced special prizes for the most outstanding projects:

• Internship one or more participants in the company Opera Software
• Equipped workplace in a QD business incubator for a project team

Individual prizes from the MTE program:
All projects automatically participate in the portfolio competition for admission to the magistracy of the department of technological entrepreneurship and innovation management (for graduates of undergraduate or specialty). Portfolio contest winners enter the magistracy without exams.

In general, my friends, there is something to fight for!