Первый инкубатор технологических стартапов американской компании Plug and Play открылся в Махачкале
A seed accelerator for start-ups based on one of the largest networks of incubators in the world, Plug and Play, has opened in Makhachkala as part of the Dagestan State Technical University. Plug & Play is an American company with its headquarters in the Silicon Valley, specializing in the development of promising start-ups. More than 300 start-ups have been implemented thanks to Plug & Play, which have resulted in a total investment of over $750 million. The first Plug & Play incubator in Russia opened in Moscow in 2012.
There will be a total of 19 regular work places with the scope of an extension up to 30. The Plug & Play premises will be made available to start-ups free of charge, reports chairman of the board of directors of Summa Group Ziyavudin Magomedov, participating in the opening of the incubator. He added that the project organizers are planning to provide front-end financial support to start-ups that will prove to be successful and viable.
"The future entrepreneurs of Dagestan will develop world-class products in this incubator," stated the president of the Republic of Dagestan Ramazan Abdulatipov at the opening ceremony.
As part of the preparations for the launch of Plug & Play Dagestan, a special Working Group – composed of representatives of the company and Summa Group – was organised to collect applications. Both the projects at the prototype stage (or already operated) and at the concept stage were considered.
The incubator is equipped with high-speed Internet access from Summa Telecom, a powerful projector for presentations, Apple computers and other necessary equipment. The total area of the working space amounts to 600 sq meters. Young companies will have access not only to the premises of the incubator but also the high-speed Internet and advanced equipment, including a 3D-printer, as well as to the expertise of Plug & Play professionals.
As part of the educational program in the Republic, the invitation of specialists in entrepreneurship, programming and design is planned in order to improve the quality of development projects. The selected Dagestani start-ups will become residents of Plug & Play Dagestan and thus will receive board and work places, participate in educational webinars, receive advice from mentors on building business models and conduct of business.
In the words of the founder of Plug & Play, Saeed Amidi, the idea of opening a business incubator in Dagestan did not arise by chance. "We already have offices in different countries around the world, however we decided come into Russia, because we envisage the market and the "bright minds" that can invent and make money with their inventions. The negotiations on the establishment of this incubator took two years. There's good potential in Dagestan, and perhaps there will be serious technological companies here in the future," noted Amidi.
According to the Minister of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolai Nikiforov, the main thing in a business incubator is its relationship with the rest of the world. Talking about innovation, we only have to look at the example of companies located in the Silicon Valley. "Many young Dagestanis would also like to share this success. In my view, we have never been so close to the global ecosystem of innovation, as we are today, " said the Minister. The main distinguishing feature of the site is "the presence of the Plug & Play brand – this is the thread that will connect Dagestan with the entire world, including the Silicon Valley. The young people who will be participating in the event here, will be in a virtual realm for the entire time, and sometimes even connecting with the same guys in California and other parts of the world," the Minister stressed.
The results of launching the business incubator will start to be seen in 2-3 years time. The future return of the Summa company from this project will be focused on the development of educational programs and systems that support the business incubator.