Balkan venture forum

www.balkanunlimited.org

Balkan Venture Forum 2012 18 - 19 April 2012, Skopje, Macedonia


Participating, Sponsoring & Partnering


Executive summary The Balkan Venture Forum (BKVF) is an Investment Forum aimed to show-cast Balkan’s best entrepreneurs to an audience of Balkan and top-tier international venture capital corporate investors and strategic partners. Approx. 30 companies from the Balkans will be selected to participate in the Pitching Competition in front of 30 to 40 international investors and advisors. The BKVF will be promoted as the European Venture Contest Semi Final. The top 25% companies from the BKVF will be invited to the final event, the European Venture Summit. The BALKAN VENTURE FORUM will entail:

• Discussion sessions on investment trends and market opportunities • Presentation of companies to investors • One2one meetings between entrepreneurs and investors • Emphasis on innovative technologies for global growth • World-class speakers and high-quality workshops • Invitations only - highest quality investors, experts and entrepreneurs

Venue Metropolis Arena, Skopje Fair

Balkan Venture Forum 2012

http://www.e-unlimited.com/eurecanevc

http://www.e-unlimited.com/evs

http://www.e-unlimited.com/evs


Balkan Unlimited is a regional non-profit foundation with goals to: • Support innovation and entrepreneurship in the Balkans • Promote economical and cultural connections in the Balkans • Support social innovation With its unique and fundamental regional focus, actively integrating with the leading global development trends, Balkan Unlimited accelerates the regional progress in the area of innovation and entrepreneurship. Our Vision “Innovation and positive human values are the foundation of a knowledge-based society. We build on those aspects to integrate the Balkans in the progressive global trends.” Our Mission “Through experience and analysis of the innovation and entrepreneurship eco-system in the Balkans, to detect the common issues and emerging trends and provide support together with international partners.”

Balkan Unlimited – Host of Balkan Venture Forum


Founded in 1998 in Brussels, Europe Unlimited provides critical business resources to innovative technology entrepreneurs, corporations, investors and researchers, allowing them to successfully build and maintain a healthy economy. Our Vision “Dynamic entrepreneurship is the main force of innovation, economic growth and sustainability throughout Europe.” Our Mission “Through independent and neutral networking entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, researchers and advisors we help Europe’s dynamic technology innovators become world leaders in their field.”

Europe Unlimited – Main organizing partner


Crimson Capital Corp. (Crimson) is a leading international development firm that specializes in private sector development, innovation, competitiveness, access to finance, export and investment promotion, privatization, PPPs, and legal, regulatory and policy reform. Established in 1991 to provide privatization and restructuring expertise to emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Crimson has gone global, delivering dynamic development assistance across five continents. Currently, Crimson has offices in USA, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Peru. Crimson’s work in developing countries has resulted in over $7 billion in foreign direct investment, export and trade transactions, and debt and equity financing. Crimson assists governments, financial institutions and businesses, including startups, and supports the ICT, technology, agribusiness, financial services, manufacturing and trade sectors. Crimson has co-organized numerous high profile conferences and business events in the region, including the Economist Investment Roundtable with the Government of Macedonia (Macedonia 2005), Kosovo Business and Investment Summit (Kosovo 2008), Information and Communication Technology B2B Matchmaking Event (Macedonia 2010), 1st International Business Forum (Macedonia 2011), among many others.

Crimson Capital – Main regional organizing partner


Patron of Balkan Venture Forum 2012

The President of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov His Excellency, Dr. Ivanov is a leading expert on civil society, being the first to introduce its systematic research in Macedonian academia. He has been a consultant to leading think-tanks and researchers. Ivanov is the co-founder of the first Macedonian political science journal “Political Opinion”, and the founder and Honorary President of the Macedonian Political Science Association. He is also one of the principal founders of the Institute for Democracy, a leading Macedonian think-tank which has helped shape the political landscape in Macedonia. As a sincere and active supporter of innovation and entrepreneurship, Dr. Ivanov continues his leadership by endorsing the Balkan Venture Forum 2012. “Timely recognized and supported innovative entrepreneur ideas are essential prerequisite for the increase of the competitiveness of companies and their equitable participation in the regional, European and world markets.”


The Truly Leading and Independent Venture Industry Platform in Europe • Helped SMEs raise more than €1.5 billion

• Promoted more than 3,000 entrepreneurs

• Managed over 100 events

• Gathered over 8,500 key industry players

• Serves the entire community in Europe:

• Venture Capital, Family Offices • Corporations • National governments & regions • European Commission • R&D centres

Leading Platform by Europe Unlimited


• 25+ pitching events per annum ; online qualifying events • A combination of geographical and vertical (industry) events across Europe • Includes the best 150 out of 1000+ companies in CleanTech/ICT/Life Sciences • Annually, best companies compete: Qualifiers - Semi-finals - Finals per industry for €90,000 prize • The European Venture Club, the largest European Platform for investors in early-stage technology companies with high growth potential • Coaching & Development • Experts networking

Scope of the Platform


• Investors - Increase your deal flow – Access to alternative LPs and potential co-investors

• Entrepreneurs - Pitch your company to an audience representing over $10 billion in funds. Increase your investment readiness

• Corporate Venture Arms - Meet innovators at an early stage, reach out to venture capital and peer investors for partnering and investment opportunities

• Partners - Connect with Europe’s main innovation initiative and gain access to the largest Pan European active database of start-ups

• Delegates - Network efficiently with the reference players in the industry - Capture the emerging businesses and trends

Value Proposition


Venture Firms Corporates

Part of Europe Unlimited community

http://www.kreoscapital.com/index.htm

http://www.partechvc.com/

http://www.intel.com/index.htm?iid=home+hdr_logo

http://www.orange.co.uk/?linkfrom=Today&link=header_logo

http://www.philips.com/global/index.html

http://www.sony.com/

http://www.st.com/stonline/index.htm

http://www.teliasonera.com/


Regional Partners Industry Partners Professional Partners Media Research & Institutes

Sociedade de Capital de Risco, SA

Part of Europe Unlimited community


Experts & Investors Presenters : 1000+ Applications

2010 Participants in Europe Unlimited events


2011-2012 Agenda at Europe Unlimited

Geography [horizontal] French Venture Forum Q4 2011 Iberian Venture Forum Q4 2011 Nordic Venture Forum Q4 2011 Benelux Venture Forum Q1 2012 Balkan Venture Forum Q1 2012 Central Europe Venture Forum Q2 2012 Swiss Venture Forum Q2 2012 German Venture Forum Q3 2012 Qualifiers [online & offline] Regional Programs all across Europe (proactive and on-demand)

Industry [vertical] ESA Investment Forum Q4 2011 Tech Media Europe Q1 2012 Clean Tech Invest Q2 2012 Health Invest Q3 2012 European Finals European Venture Summit Nov 2011 European Venture Contest Final Jury Dec 2011 European Venture Club 1 quarterly event hosted by Members Focus on Growth/Expansion


Pre-event coaching workshop “I2 = from Idea to Investment””

In order to ensure preparedness of the participants in the BkVF, Balkan Unlimited organizes a three phase coaching program. The first phase is a workshop that will feature advanced presentations and discussion of a broad array of topics relevant to developing innovations and startups. The second phase is a private onsite and remote mentoring session of 60 minutes to 15 qualified participants from the first phase, given by a team of world-class international mentors. The third phase is a mock pitching by the entrepreneurs, followed by feedback from a team of experts led by Blaz Kos. Price of the complete coaching: 35Euro. Apply to [email protected], no later than 01.02.2012.

4th February coaching topics: - BkVF competition (Aleksandar Tasev) - Intellectual property (Dr. Bratislav Stankovic) - Financing innovation(VC) (Michael Gold) - Lean product development (Stefan Menden) - How to pitch (Sebastian Fallert) - Business plan&modelling (Zarko Popiliev) - Communication strategy for startups (Ljupka Naumovska)

11th February mentoring by: -Dr. Bratislav Stankovic - Michael Gold - Blaz Kos - Manuel Koelman - Dr. Clarisse Molad - Moritz Delbrueck - Philipp Moehring - Aleksandar Tasev

18th February: - Pitching and feedback from experts. (Blaz Kos, and

team)

mailto:[email protected]


Balkan Venture Forum 2012 – agenda day 1(tentative)

Day 1

18 April

9:00 Dry run - coaching High-level Policy

Meeting

1to1 meetings -

Innovation Fair (Company

booths)

13:00 Lunch

14:00 Start the event – Welcome

President DR. Ivanov 10 minutes

Keynote speaker 10 minutes

Keynote speaker 10 minutes

14:30 Panel: Investment & Innovation Outlook in the

Balkans (General Institutional perspective:

EBRD, EC, World Bank,)

15:15 Reverse Pitching I – investor profiles

15:30 Coffe Break

16:00 Startup competition ICT Startup competition

Cleantech+Life

science

17:30 Panel: Growing companies across the Balkan

(Microsoft, CISCO, successful companies)

18:15 Sightseeing, networking

20:00 Gala Dinner


Balkan Venture Forum 2012 – agenda day 2(tentative)

Day 2

19 April

9:00 Panel: Investment potential in the Balkans

session (Investors speaking: RSG Capital, )

1to1 meetings -

Innovation Fair

(Company booths)

9:45 Reverse Pitching II – investor profiles

10:15 Coffee Break

10:45 Startup competition ICT Startup competition

Cleantech+Life science

12:15 Lunch

13:30 Panel: Strategies to foster investor readiness

and growth in startups&SMEs

14:15 Awards

14:45 Finish


Participation

Visit Balkan Venture Forum As a visitor, you will attend the expert panels, workshops, pitching sessions, and the Innovation fair. Gold visitor additionally receive an invitation to the VIP gala dinner and may attend One2One matchmaking meetings with innovators, investors or advisors. Innovation Fair Exhibitors Innovators, business clusters and financing institutions have the opportunity to promote themselves before high-level international and regional attendees. Networking will take place in the same space as the innovation fair, to create a comfortable and effective environment. Promotional slides from all exhibitors will also be displayed on the main projector pane. Places are allocated base on first-come-first-served. Innovation fair participation includes booth rental and one free delegate pass. Event fees are:

Startups – 500 € Clusters, chambers, government agencies – 1000 € Financial sector, investors – 1000 € Universities – 1000 €

Tickets Startup/ Innovator Regular Visitor Gold Visitor

Early –bird ticket (until 29 Feb) 99 € 200 € 300 €

Standard ticket (after 29 Feb) 150 € 270 € 400 €


Partnering / Sponsoring the Balkan Venture Forum

Partnering or Sponsoring offers you: Business Opportunities

• Access a unique database of high-tech, start-up profiles

• Position as a reviewer or jury member (limited availability)

• Opportunity to host pre-event workshop

Networking

• Opportunity to network with targeted group of senior investors and advisors

• Pre-arranged One2One meetings with delegates and presenters

Visibility

• Regional exposure

• Industry recognition as strong supporter of innovation & entrepreneurship


[email protected]

+389 2 3224 711 +389 2 3224 784

Thank you for your attention

To register your participation or become a sponsor, please contact us at:

Balkan venture forum

Documents

balkan venture forum

international investors

audience of balkan

support innovation

investment forum

vision innovation

investors emphasis

balkans best entrepreneurs