Pune Connect – The Place for Pune Startups to Shine!

Pune has long been seen as a good place for startups to get ready to hit the world, and the marketplace. There is a huge range of businesses young entrepreneurs are venturing into and this city offers the right kind of eco-system for those bright ideas to flourish. There is a readily available talent pool, a wide variety of resources, and then there is the thriving software industry for support. So much so, that research says there are some 322 startups in the city! (Source – Inc.). If yours is one of the startups among this number but waiting for the right push to explode onto the scene here is an opportunity not to be missed - Pune Connect 2016. A platform to bring together new businesses with industry professionals and other associates, this is the most sought after event to make a mark for yourself. Pune Connect is organized by the Software Exporters Association of Pune (SEAP) and Pune Tech and is now in its sixth year. The gathering brings together investors, potential customers, partners, and mentors for an interaction with budding entrepreneurs. Thus, at the same time it gives a great chance to startups to directly interact with industry stalwarts and expose their potential to venture capitalists and angel investors.

Since the event is all about displaying the best, startups need to go through a rigorous selection process to be selected as the top participants. Here are some figures to depict the true picture - in 2014, of the 150 total entries received only 36 startups were selected. The challenge got more harder when last year, of the 180 participants only 27 could make it to the final list. The numbers just go on to show the stiff competition startups face to be eventually identified as the most promising ones. The chosen ones are privileged to have access to a lot of new information, networking with the core industry people, exclusive sessions with venture capitalists, just to name a few benefits. They even get to exhibit free of charge at the event. Also, the startups could score a mention in the print media and social media coverage before and after the event. That is a lot of exposure for a startup which is only beginning its foray into the real world.

The showcase, this year, is scheduled for the month of November. While that seems like far enough away, however, if you are keen to make the cut, the application process needs to start right now. Remember to spend time over the application as getting through to the finals is tough. Yet all the hard work does pay off. Hence, it would be worth starting with the application process to complete the entire procedure well in time. The last date for accepting nominations for this year is 8th October 2016. To begin with, you can log on to the Pune Connect website at www.puneconnect.com and register yourself as a startup. You will receive an email with your username and a temporary password. The website will then further guide you to the selection criteria and procedures.

So if you have a product or technology startup or a startup with a dazzling idea that has started seeing light of day, this is the chance to gain recognition as one among the best. See you ate PuneConect 2016!