Regulations

How we work

The Centre is working according to the calendar plan. We have allocated 4 season of the year and 2 session. The session is precisely what young innovator is necessary to rely on when he considers working in the center. Two sessions of the year (winter and summer) allow project teams and centre staff to work most effectively focusing on one of project stages. The session lasts for about 3 months. We do not limit the duration of the project physically, but believe that it should be enough.

The session is the heart of the season. For 3 months of the Project season, the project team should carry out goals stated in the application to advance to the next level and continue cooperation with the center in the Investment season (next 3 months session, during which startup company gets investments). Thus, the whole process of cooperation with the center takes no more than 6 months. During this period, the company should realize the goals (to create a prototype or an alpha-version of their project or service, to prepare a constituent, financial and other documentation for the investor, to conduct market research, etc.) and present themselves to prospective investors to obtain funding.

Web2People gives you an opportunity to participate in panel discussions with attendance of venture capital, web development, banking and jurisprudence specialists.

Web2People assists innovators in many different ways. First, we provide consulting and practical assistance in the implementation of your ideas from the first page of code till the final documentation on the Investor's desk. Each of the phases of the project is accompanied by a curator and center staff, whose limited assistance innovators may expect in any project. The capabilities of the center as an office are the following: unlimited wireless internet access, printers, office supplies, Secretary services, telephones, rooms for meetings, drinks, food. One can take a shower at the center. In fact, the center is designed so that you can work in the entire day, not focusing on organizational and everyday problems.

We will help you to build relationships with a future investor and is likely to introduce you to several candidates. Moreover, the very fact that you have successfully walk through the session at Web2People, most likely you will attract attention of press and potential investors.

We assess our assistance to startups as shares of the project. We do not fix proportion that we are going to get in each of the projects. We do not claim the controlling share of 51% and in rare cases, the amount of shares in project will reach the "lock" package of 25%. The share of business accuired by the center depends on the amount of investements and efforts, and, on the average, does not exceed 10-15% in established companies. At the same time you must understand that the future investor may not share our views on modesty of shareholding proportions.

Why don't we claim a 51% share? It is the same reason, why we do not provide jobs, not looking for a project for the investor and do not pay salaries - we need partners, not employees implementing our ideas. The project without involvement of innovator businessman is worth nothing.

Mandatory participation conditions

Contrary to the myth that to create a successful business in the Internet is enough to have an access to it, we do not fund "distance" projects, you must live or relocate in St. Petersburg for at least the session period.

Project team members are not paid wages, because startup center is not hiring you, it becomes your partner and provides you with assistance in the project. Nevertheless, each of the project team members will be paid 100,000 rubles for personal use during the session. We anticipate that this money will be spent on housing, transport costs and food, but you can spend it as you want - we will not restrict or control you.

Each project member should have a personal notebook with the ability to connect to wireless networks, if you do not have a personal computer in time for you work at the center - you have to buy it from you own resources or through subsidized amount. There are no public computers at the center.

Each project team must consist of at least 2 members. We can make an exception and take the project from one person only under conditions that the team will be supplemented before the session starts. In any case, such questions will be addressed individually.

If you are thinking that during the session you can change your mind, quit the project and withdraw from the center - you should not apply, and waste yours and our time.

If you decide to make changes to the original idea or completely change it during the session, then everything will depend on the stage at which the project will be developed, as well as to the level of other projects completeness. In any case, this issue we will address together. Perhaps, as a measure, you will be offered to postpone the project until the next session.

Do we guarantee further investments

No. We contribute in finding an investor and preparing all necessary documentation. We have experience in working with private investors in Russia, Europe, USA and Israel, as well as with venture capital funds. But we will never guarantee you investments or success of your project. Anything what you can achieve with our help is solely in your hands.

Do we guarantee confidentiality

As it was written above: we do not need an idea without innovator, and even without a folding group capable to bring the idea to a successful business. We will not guarantee safety of your ideas or sign MNDA - no venture fund or investor will do so. We guarantee your application consideration with preserving the confidentiality of its data (only allocated centre staff will have access to information from your documents) and provide you with an answer. Unfortunately, we can not guarantee response and expertise of your project in case of refusal. If you receive a waiver from us it means that your project is not promising only in our views, but this does not mean that it is hopeless - try different ways.

Timing and rules for application

The next session starts in mid-July 2008. Applications from candidates innovators are accepted till June 15, 2008. Application shall be filed exclusively in electronic form through www.web2people.net. n case your application has received initial approval - you will be offered an interview in the center. If you can't come to St. Petersburg for the interview personally, it may be held through video-conference. In this case you should make it possible on your side, usually we carry out conferences through Skype. We will inform you of the review and confirmation status of your application.

If you were not able to apply until June 15, but would like to cooperate with Startup Center, send an application as soon as it is ready. We will receive it and consider options for your project, for example, we will offer you a seat at the next session outside competition, or invite you for an additional session - an opportunity which is due solely to the presence of a number of interesting projects we have.

What do you do first