Say what you will, but the fact is the Web Summit was a huge moment for the Portuguese tech and corporate community. We saw it with our own eyes since 3 of our acceleration programs were parked there.
SIBS PAYFORWARD
The commitment of SIBS with startup interaction was highlighted with the creation of a special Fast Track to the current edition of SIBSPAYFORWARD Accelerator, with applications open until December 15.
The top 3 startups applying for the program at SIBS stand (Pavilion 2) during the Web Summit would immediately secure the opportunity to pitch to SIBS Top Management.
This presence allowed a daily interaction with startups and innovators present at the conference and at the same time, it helped to increase the awareness of the global startup ecosystem for the work being done by SIBS.
Several interviews took place at the stand (see attachment) with program team, mentors, and SIBS collaborators about the program and the way SIBS open collaboration with Startups is contributing to fintech innovation.
Protechting
With 2 programs already done and a new edition kicking-off in 2018 Fidelidade and Fosun chose to be at Web Summit under the Protechting brand. A brand that represents their open innovation bet, and a brand already recognized globally after two successful editions (measured by the collaboration with startups).
This presence was focused on the results from the first two editions and the international reach of the program, that already managed to attract 252 startups from 42 different countries. Namely, at the stand, there were the 5 startups, from 5 different countries, that won those two Editions (LifeSymb – Sweden, Ectosense – Belgium, Visor.ai – Portugal, Bdeo – Spain, Amiko – Italy).
Another focus was to open the door to the upcoming 2018 edition – Startups could make a 1-minute video pitch that served as pre-registration for the new edition. More than 100 startups already pitched their way into 2018 Protechting.
TechCare
This program, that we run with Novartis and Deloitte, offered ‘Alpha’ tickets to all the startups in the TechCare program. They also organized a meetup on the last day of the event, that was more health-focused, to promote networking between the founders and key players in the company.
Above all, the strategic relevance of this connection and presence was evident. We noted the presence, during all 3 days, of several SIBS top collaborators, namely its CEO. We could also spot several Fidelidade managers, topped by its CEO, and also of a high-level Fosun delegation, led by Fosun Group Vice President. During this delegation visit, with Fidelidade CEO also there, the Portuguese Minister of Economy also paid a visit to the stand.
On the other hand, Cristina Campos, CEO at Novartis, was part of the Regulation & Innovation panel, for the health sector, at the Forum. Janneke van der Kamp, Global Head of Product & Portfolio Strategy at Novartis, was a speaker at the Corporate Innovation Summit, and also took some time to drop by the venue.
So, all and all, a strong 3 days for brand exposure, innovation culture, and top-level networking… Pretty much the Beta-i DNA in a nutshell!