Accepting applications to Web Ready started

Accepting applications for the annual innovation contest of the Internet and mobile technology projects Web Ready: Internet & Mobile has started today, in June 1, 2012. The contest will be held for the fourth time. The prize fund comprises 1.5 M RUR.

The applications for the contest will be accepted until October 14, the Web Ready final in Investment Forum format will be held on November, 30 in St. Petersburg.

Web Ready is conducted in two main nominations: the best Internet-startup and the best mobile-startup. Additional nominations from the jury and the special nominations from the contest partners are also planned.

This year we focus not only on the Internet projects, but also on mobile technologies developments becoming the drivers of IT development for the next few years, - Irina Kalashnikova, the Web Ready contest organizer said. - In connection with new accents, we have changed the nominations - projects both at seed stage and start-up stage will be accepted in two basic nominations - Internet and Mobile. In addition, the contest is expanding geographically - we plan to open at least five regional stages in Russia, as well as to carry out foreign stages of Web Ready.

During the three years of operation, the contest was attended by more than 1,400 projects from 120 cities and 14 countries. About 500 participants visit the competition Final, 100 of which are investment funds. The following events will take place during the final: the exhibition of Web Ready projects-semifinalists, the presentations of the selected finalists, the performance of special guests, as well as VC Corner - a platform for meetings of investors and projects. The regional stages of the contest took place for the first time last year- they were held in the Volga region, Siberia and the Urals. As a result of their realization 106 applications were attracted (the total amount of applications for the contest in 2011 being 579 items). 12 projects became Web Ready winners in 2011, ResumUp and Shop Points projects were recognized the best in the major nominations.

More than 20 Web Ready winners and finalists of different years have attracted investments to their own projects.

The contest partner in 2011 was the Business incubator of Ingria Technopark, the official partners were Microsoft and RVC OJSC, the communications partner was MegaFon. EMC, PwC, MegaFon, the BLESK project implemented through the program of European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, have already expressed the willingness to become the contest partners in 2012.