There is more and more talk about the need for Romanian software companies to pass from outsourcing to developing their own products. No one knows for how long the services of local soft companies will be chosen to the detriment of other companies. For the moment, what gives us an advantage is the low price and high quality of soft services.
Probably most soft companies have established a development strategy on 5-10 years in advance. If the creation of one"s own products is also included in this strategy, then, I think this article will be useful.
On Friday, July 19th 2013, the STEP UP programme for startups was started in Cluj-Napoca. The aim of this programme is to help startups go quickly and smoothly from idea to prototype, to transform a set of resources (input): idea, people and time (3 months) into a result (output): MVP - prototype of their own product. The MVP or the minimum viable product is aimed and most likely will be achieved within 3 months.
STEP-UP wishes to:
The STEP-UP Programme includes 3 months of sustained and relevant assisted work, weekly studying sessions with mentors and partners of the programme, series of workshops with successful entrepreneurs, monthly social events with business leaders from the local community, frequent interactions with company founders and management teams, but also challenges to learn from each other.
We have selected the best local and international mentors, the most advantageous marginal benefits and we have created connections with the best networks of professionals from the industry.
Among the mentors within the STEP UP programme we mention:
Philipp Kandal - CTO & founder Skobbler;
Dragoș Roua - Romanian investor and entrepreneur;
Kate Lowes - CEO at UK Innovation Group.
The complete list of mentors is available on the site of the programme: startuptransilvania.ro
The programme starts at the end of August and it will end in November, with a presentation day, when startups will present the result of their work within a demo-day. We encourage the local companies to participate with startups and take a significant step towards their own businesses.