With 400 companies and organisations at Ideon, it is difficult to keep track of what everyone is doing. We want to make it easier for all of us to get to know one another by inviting you behind the scenes. Every other week, one company will take over our Instagram account and share their working life with you. Next week, VentureCup will take over our account.
Hello Jonas Lundh, can you tell me a little about VentureCup?
Jonas Lundh
–Venture Cup is a non-profit organization that organizes a nationwide competition for startups and entreprepreneurs and a method of developing your business idea. The competition has two phases, during the fall we run “Idea” and during the spring “Startup”, where there are regional finals and the winners qualify to the national finals. The competition “Startup” is open for all startups that have not commercialized revenues exceeding SEK 500 000.
Tell us about the team at VentureCup South? What are your backgrounds?
-The team consists of me (Jonas Lundh), Hilde Zellman and a few student ambassadors. I have worked as an event coordinator and have arranged festivals, fairs and concerts, and used to run my own business as well. Hilde has an MBA and has a degree from the Lund School of Entrepreneurship. She has also worked as a business developer at VentureLab and is running her own business part time.
Can you tell us a little about the national finals?
-There are 15 teams from all over Sweden who are coming to Lund to compete in the national finals, on September 21st. They will be pitching to a national jury who are specially assembled for this event. During the gala in the University building, the winners will be presented and there are four categories; Student superstart, Impact maker, Game changer and Top tech. And of course, the total winner of VentureCup 2017, the Startup of the year.
-Throughout this process, the teams have been pitching before a jury, but they are also receiving training and support from VentureCup. But I want to point out that the jury focuses on the entire business idea, not just the pitch.
-The winners from the regional finals have already won SEK 50 000 each, and in the national finals, the winners of each category will receive SEK 50 000 as well. And the Startup of the year winner receives SEK 100 000. Added to that, some teams compete in more than one category, so there is a lot at stake here!
Who are previous participants of VentureCup?
-We are very proud of all of our teams. Since the start in 1998, over 27 000 entrepreneurs have competed. Some of our previous participants are Raysearch, Hövding, Najell, Scalado, Parkster and Lensway.
What will you be showing us on Instagram next week?
-We will take you behind the scenes, you’ll get to see how we are preparing for the national finals. You might get to meet some of the teams and members of the jury. Don’t miss it, it will be an intense and exciting week!
Find out more
Don’t forget to cheer for Ideon company Vultus who are nominated in the category Student Superstart!
