Destination Silicon Valley for startupers supported by Ubifrance and Bpifrance in the framework of the acceleration program UBI I/O. The second edition 2015 is launched on 10 November. The adventure tempts you? Apply!
The success of Criteo in the United States emulated. The nuggets French digital innovation and other start-ups promising no longer hesitate to embark on the american market. To know the codes of this highly competitive market and sophisticated, both in terms of technologies, as consumers, need to be prepared. Ubifrance and Bpifrance have created in 2014, an acceleration program UBI I/O, which focuses on total immersion in Silicon Valley for ten weeks of the candidates for export. And reiterate the program for 2015.
coach-on-able
Noting that the exporting SMES create more jobs than the others, and that these exporting SMES and innovative that have the largest and fastest growth potential, Bpifrance and Ubifrance joined forces in 2014 to mount the first acceleration program UBI I/O (such as Input/Output). The goal is to discover the start-up of promising, via coaching, the eco-system of Silicon Valley. It will allow them, in being there, to assimilate and acquire the tools to be operational immediately – the exercises of the pitch and the storytelling are not easy ! The aim is for these start-ups increase their visibility on the american market thanks to the networks of Ubifrance and Bpifrance in connection with the major local actors. Building on the success of the first edition of UBI I/O starts again for 2015. Among the eight start-ups selected in 2014, three of them are now located in the United States : Sublimeskinz, Contract Live and VadeRetro.
Debriefing start-up
“After two weeks in Silicon Valley, I decided to stay !”, tells Mathieu Lhoumeau, founder of Contract Live, which is projected as the future of Salesforce contracts online. Same enthusiasm expressed by the seven other young start-up back after their intensive stay in San Francisco. For those companies with international ambitions, the Silicon Valley is a must. It is the heart of the digital innovation world and it is there that they will be able to attract investors to develop their activity. All the confirm, being on site enabled them to meet their competitors, refine their offers, in short, to do more and more quickly : the nerve of the war !
“No pain no gain”
If all these start-upers are unanimously thrilled with their immersion, and came back more sure of themselves in terms of their strategy, they admit to having been shaken by the spirit of Silicon Valley, as well as they express it: “It is a shock”, “We are better armed”, “In a few weeks we met Oracle, Saleforce, Samsung… only, it would have taken months to locate us !” “It is like an internship commando, not a minute wasted, we took the opportunity to 100%” ,”After the first pitch, it took a slap in the face : we thought we were the best and in the front they heard “what else ?” Ca has made us reconsider our offer !” ,”I understood that it was necessary for us to install on the spot if we wanted to exist on the american market”, “We realized that we were not ready, a little patience, when we will be at the level, we go back !”.
As the saying goes, nothing beats the experience… Yet the ten weeks have not been easy for these entrepreneurs who were at the same time keep the daily link with their team remained in France, dealing with jet lag disturbing, also at the family level. “I’ve never slept more than five hours per night,” admits one of them. “We came to the two, it is great to share meetings and debrief us,” says another. And it is a leitmotif, a learning experience sometimes difficult rules and customs like the world-famous pitch, the face of partners, investors, and many of the questions of the public “come to challenger !”
The fees amount to 300 euros HT and the acceleration program (preparation, business development, networking and visibility, coaching, and accommodation) to (9 950 € HT, with the participation of Bpifrance.
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implant themselves in the Silicon Valley
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Launch of the season 2015
The adventure tempts you? Bpifrance and Ubifrance, to launch the program in 2015 : to apply, download a registration form on the site ubi-io.com from the 10 November 2014 and before 31 January 2015. A jury comprised of investors and impact entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley will, at the end of February, eight winners who will go to San Francisco ten weeks beginning 27 April 2015. A tip : be highly motivated, offer an innovative product and value-added in relation to the offers of your competitors and have the niaque to bite filled teeth in the us market.
The fees amount to 300 euros HT and the acceleration program (preparation, business development, networking and visibility, coaching, and accommodation) to (9 950 € HT, with the participation of Bpifrance.
