How we did the QIWI Universe accelerator

Maxim Avdeev, one of the authors of the QIWI Universe project, talks about how it all began and how it is developing now. What is QIWI Universe, we wrote here .


Accelerator was born long and hard. The idea of ​​changing the search paradigm for projects, building an environment around QIWI that reproduces innovations, turned into a conscious format very gradually.
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On the one hand, this is a series of awareness (aaaa, for sure!), Creative, strategic sessions with colleagues, on the other - classical project work (decomposition of goals to tasks and questions, Gantt charts, network graphs, financial models, KPI etc.). I like to look at any project systematically and three-dimensional. Now I remember how hot Lesha Barinsky and I were discussing how to be an accelerator, “selling” it inside QIWI, adjusting the models.

At the preparatory stage, we passed through the mountains of analytical, operational information, actively acquainted with the industry and were looking for “our way”. We found him after we were joined by the MSU Business Incubator team (guys, hello and respect to you). In our design, as if the missing element appeared, and everything began to move. Creative harmony has come.

A model is good when it is individual and meets the goals and interests of the company. We worked on this synchronicity, among other things. Inside the company there is the concept of "QIWI-fit", applied to new employees. This is a difficult to write term, it is usually felt: our people or not ours. So, we built the accelerator as much as possible QIWI-FIT.

We took this into account in the branding, communication and content model. I personally love to invent, create: I remember how I conducted a creative session, from which slogans, visual images, content, which we are actively using until now, have come out. As a result, we scored awesome projects. They have every chance to grow into truly global stories.

We have a unique team, we can work in different formats and rhythms. We are interchangeable and it is very good. I write this article in the interval between the reporting session and budgetary issues and it captures the spirit of how much is happening around.

QIWI is a startup. Growing up, strong, big, international. We very much keep the spirit of entrepreneurship and an open look at business. On the other hand, there are many people in our structure with extensive experience, rare expertise, and contacts.

The QIWI Universe Accelerator does not exist “in itself”. It is like part of a large organism — the QIWI ecosystem. Many different types of connections with the company need to be built and maintained (legal, financial, business, etc.). This is a very complex, but effective symbiosis. And acceleration is a two-way process. On the one hand, we broadcast the experience and contacts of QIWI to the children, and we also translate their tireless energy of creation into big business. Already, a lot of unwritten bundles of QIWI project employee have been formed. The guys help, advise, coach and just make friends.

One of my tasks is to moderate this process. Projects come to visit QIWI HQ, tell colleagues about themselves, test hypotheses, ask questions, use colleagues in focus groups, etc. We discuss joint foresight sessions with projects, for example.

For mutual recognition and feedback, we are playing a game for our Become Investor colleagues (everyone can “invest” virtual money in real projects). Inspired by the QIWI Universe hackathons, we conducted a hackathon in the office. The wave is raised and much more to come. Further, the distance between projects and colleagues, we will further reduce and develop.

I am very pleased with what is happening. The coolest, in my opinion, is the burning eyes of the project participants.
I wish the guys to progress their ambitions. Don't stop, tear up the market. We will help!