Innovation Village at SEMICON Europa 2014
Innovation Village will bring together up to fifty of the most innovative European start-ups with investors from the semiconductor industry
After the successful premier of a program to connect early-stage companies with strategic investors and venture capitalists (VCs) in the U.S., SEMI is expanding the program to Europe as part of SEMICON Europa 2014.
The conference is taking place in Grenoble, France from October 7th to 9th.
The new expanded program, called Innovation Village, will extend the original scope of SEMICON West's Silicon Innovation Forum (SIF) with a conference and three-day start-up and innovation partner exhibition, held in a dedicated area at SEMICON Europa
Located at the heart of SEMICON Europa, Innovation Village will bring together up to fifty of the most innovative European start-ups with top investors from the semiconductor industry.
The goal of Innovation Village is to encourage exchanges between early-stage technology companies and investors interested in identifying investment opportunities.
Participating start-ups will have the opportunity to exhibit for three days at individual kiosks in the Innovation Village exhibition hall and actively participate in the SIF, presenting their innovations in a series of short pitches and, for selected companies, performing a product demonstration. The Innovation Village exhibition hall will also host several key companies and investors in exclusive VIP booths fully equipped with private meeting space.
"Grenoble has gained a reputation for being one of Europe's leading cities in innovative research and has successfully hosted a high number of start-ups," says Heinz Kundert, president of SEMI Europe. "With SEMICON Europa coming to Grenoble for the first time, it is an excellent occasion to demonstrate the region's capabilities in innovation and commercialisation of new technologies."
Innovation Village will represent the most viable new technology in Europe. Interested start-ups are invited to fill out a Request for Participation (RFP) form online at the SEMICON Europa website. (www.semiconeuropa.org/Segments/InnovationVillage).
Start-ups are encouraged to apply as early as possible. RFPs will be judged by the SEMICON Europa SIF Committee, experts in venture capitalism and new technology investment. They are:
Lisa Mueller, 3M New Ventures
Jean-Marc Girard, Air Liquide Electronics
Eileen Tanghal, Applied Ventures
Claus Schmidt, Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH
Jong Sang Choi, Samsung Venture
Loic Lietar, STMicroelectronics
Jim Traynor, TEL Venture Capital
To encourage visibility for both investors and start-ups, Innovation Village conferences and the exhibition will be free-of-charge for all SEMICON Europa visitors. Speakers will attract diverse visitors, including large companies, SMEs, and start-ups to the Innovation Village area.
Dedicated innovation lounge areas set amidst the exhibition kiosks will allow visitors, investors and start-ups to interact with each other.
