FAQ
Q: What is Mind the Bridge?
A: It’s an opportunity for Italian entrepreneurs to get valuable mentorship from successful serial entrepreneurs and to present their ideas to a core group of experienced executives and potential investors in the Silicon Valley
Q: What is the prize?
A: MTB will facilitate the finalists’ trip to the Silicon Valley, and will schedule one on one interviews with appropriate Silicon Valley players, including for example potential investors and companies.
Q: Is there any cash prize?
A: No. MTB does not involve monetary prizes of any sort. We believe the most valuable prize for an entrepreneur is to facilitate the conditions for permitting a good business idea to develop to its fullness.
Q: Is MTB paying for the road show?
A: No. MTB will only facilitate the trip: all expenses associated to the initiative (trip, accommodation, food, transportation, etc.) are the sole responsibility of the participant.
Q: What is the point in participating, then?
A: The real value of the prize is to touch firsthand the business development possibilities that the Silicon Valley eco-system offers and to establish the connections for the start up sustainable growth.
Q: What kind of Business Plans is more likely to be selected?
A: All original entrepreneurial ideas are welcome. However, the projects that are more like to be appealing to the Silicon Valley community, and thus have greater chances to be selected, are those that reflect practical business and technological applications that are relevant to the Silicon Valley community. Business ideas that, although brilliant and well conceived, are less likely to benefit from a networking possibility offered by MTB (i.e. just focused on the Italian market) may be penalized in the selection process.
Q: Is there any appeal procedure?
A: No. The decisions of the Organization and Selection Committees are final.
Q: What do the Mentors do, exactly?
A: Mentors are experienced and successful businessmen that will put their experience to the service of the finalists, helping them improve their ideas and their presentations, in particular focusing on the upcoming Silicon Valley road show. For the most part, the Mentors are First Generation Network core members.
Q: Can I choose my Mentors?
A: No. The mentors are assigned by the Organizing Committee, which chooses in its discretion the best possible fit to help develop your business idea.
Q: What is the best way to submit your Business Plan to MTB?
A: All applicants must follow accurately the application guidelines, and must use their common sense in submitting the best application possible. As a point of general advice, powerpoint presentations are recommended over text BPs, but the applicants are free to choose the format that they prefer.
Q: Is there the risk that anyone will steal my idea?
A: Confidentiality is very important in Mind The Bridge. All people involved in the project are accustomed to dealing with confidential information in the course of their work. While we cannot obviously make any promises or guarantees, we have asked them to treat your work product with the same care and respect for confidentiality as customary in Silicon Valley. We also ask them to remove themselves from judging your plan if they have an actual conflict of interest. Feel free to mark your plan—or particular piece of it—as "confidential."
Q: What’s the main difference with Start Cup and other Business Plan Competitions?
A: Mind the Bridge values the selection process that other Business plan Competitions provide.To their best suited projects we offer the opportunity to get immersed in the Silicon Valley ecosystem, one of the world’s greatest engines of technical and entrepreneurial innovation. This is your chance to learn “how to sell” your idea and to have the opportunity to do it in front of one of the most receptive investor and business communities in the world.
Q: How many people per company can take part to the Silicon Valley road show?
A: For organizational purposes the number of people is limited to 3 per project.
Q: Will I meet only investors during the Silicon Valley roads how?
A: No. The meeting are decided and organized to be the best possible match given the nature of the project, its aspirations, its potential and the partner organizations’ network. This means that the project will be presented mostly to potential investors, but also to members of the Silicon Valley business community.
Q: What is the timing for the selection and the road-show?
A: The finalists will be announced on January 10th, 2008. The road show is planned for the beginning of April 2008. The finalists will have about 3 months to refine their business plan and presentation before their trip to the Silicon Valley.