Day 15 Business Plan Competition

Hi everybody,

my name is Gabriele Scoditti and I’m a trainee at the "Mind the Bridge Foundation" in Silicon Valley for few months. I feel very lucky to be here and I’m confident this experience will help me in improving my venture capital market knowledge.
The purpose of this post is to remind you the deadline for the “MtB Business Plan Competition” is the 25th of August (for more information please visit our website at www.mindthebridge.org). If you have an interesting and potentially successful idea in your mind, I suggest you to “MIND THE BRIDGE” and join the competition.
I strongly believe this initiative is a great opportunity for all Italian talents. It's a unique contest, completely different from all the others business plan competitions created so far. "MtB Business Plan Competition" allows to the finalists to develop your idea right here in the stimulating Silicon Valley environment for a certain period of time and you will be able to receive the precious support of successful entrepreneurs and managers who will be your mentors.
Besides I’d like to let you know about the Venture Camp Event: a two days event in Milan in November, where the best projects will expose their idea in front of a top-notch audience made of entrepreneurs and investors. This event will be realized under the sponsorship of IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA and it will be held in the Corriere’s building.
Now I’d like to share with you my personal view of the Silicon Valley after two weeks spent here. This area is certainly a ferment of talents, great ideas and huge capitals. You can easily meet experienced and successful people who will be really pleasured to help you in developing your idea (without ask you anything in return!), sharing with you their knowledge as well as their personal contacts network. The Silicon Valley networking is probably one of the most fascinating aspects of this area and, unfortunately, also one of the main differences with the Italian way of doing business. Networking is a real value in this area and any great idea can easily become a worldwide successful in reality.
What are the other ingredients of the magic receipt called Silicon Valley? I think there is an incredible mix of several factors such as a real entrepreneurial culture, excellent universities and a developed venture capital market. All these factors make a perfect entrepreneurial eco-system. I wonder if one day our generation would be able to recreate this successful model in our beloved country, even though a radical cultural change is absolutely required.
Keep in mind, however, that being here does not mean you are going to be automatically successful. It’s more a possibility for you to really understand both yourself and your business potentialities. Being aware of where you were before, where are you right now and where you are going to and/or which goals your business is able to reach. This awareness is a key element for your future.
Well my friends, one more time I’d like to invite you to send us your business plans (keep in mind the deadline is the 25th of August). Don’t miss this great opportunity to make your dream come true.

Regards

Gabriele Scoditti