The ICUBE summer
Fast forwarding >>
I got a team – Claudiu and Sofia. And the brief presentation for the TWIP project got qualified for the finals. There where 5 finalist projects, including our own. We had from July to mid-August to do research, improve on our concept and write a damn good business plan.
At the beginning, I didn’t know much about business. And market research. And competitive analysis. And financial plans. But Ioana offered me great support, advice and ideas. I did a lot of reading and piece by piece, the BP came to shape. I, the other participants and Ioana met several times, to chat, exchange ideas, ask questions and so on. Our little get-togethers were not only about business, they were really fun as well.
Only Ioana could tell you how many emails we sent back and forth about every single part of the business plan and about every single idea that went through my mind. She had the patience and the dedication to get me to understand, work and see a wider and wider picture of how TWIP could be turned into business. I started out with a techee idea. Thanks to Ioana, I know had several monetization strategies in mind. And several plans on how to get things moving.
[Here are some more pictures]
On the 17th of August, Ioana collected the final versions of our plans. And we were eager to present them.
When I and Claudiu actually had to present the TWIP business to the jury, I was very nervous. The jury was made up from Radu Georgescu (president of GeCAD), Serban Petrescu (IT&C entrepreneur), Joel Hayes, Ken Lawrence (experienced investors). Obviously, these people had a lot of experience. And I had to convince them that my idea is the best, that it truly had potential, that it was worth our effort and their attention. I tried (and managed, from what I was told) to keep an outer layer of confidence and control. Actually, the presentation went quite smoothly, although at the time I was utterly convinced it was a disaster. I had the strongest feeling I didn’t make my point across, I didn’t make the jury see the actual beauty of the concept, of collaboration.
I went home and I slept. I was exhausted and disappointed with myself. The final results from the competition were to be given to us the next day. I tried not to think about it.
That evening, I went out with Ioana and some of the other ICUBE participants. It was really fun and entertaining, although the suspense was killing me.
The next day – we were to be given the final results. There were three prizes. Ioana called on the team in the 3rd place. Then the team on the second place. So far, we were not on the list, which meant of two things: either we got the first prize or non at all. I closed my eyes, for a second – until Ioana unfolded the (BIIIIG) diploma with the winning project’s name on it. I opened my eyes. It said Team Work Interactive Platform.
We had won. Our project had one. But this was to be only the beginning of a long, hard, exciting, trip to BusinessLand.
Besides the money, winning the first place in ICUBE would mean we could participate in the NOVATECH business plan competion in Octobor (Istanbul, Turkey). And that where going to Boston (in February or March, 2009) to talk to some investors about our product. More than everything, it meant a boost of our will to succeed, of our will to make the best our of our project and its potential.
… what followed at Novatech and later on … is another post for another day.
Keep in touch !
Tags: business plan, competition, first prize, ICUBE, investors, NOVATECH, success
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