Braventure: “Are you ready to conquer the world? Then, do not hesitate.”

The countdown is on! We are just a few weeks away from Draper’s Silicon Spring Pitch Prize on April 13th. At this pitching competition, regional startups will compete for a chance to win entry to Draper University’s Hero Training Program in Silicon Valley.

Braventure is sponsoring this fun event for the third time this year. Not only that, but Braventure director Job Nijs will serve as moderator again this year.

If you don’t know the organization, Braventure is a non-profit partnership of thirteen North Brabant partners, committed to offering advice to startups to help them grow. The organization offers quick access to starting capital, knowledge, community and facilities with only one goal: to speed up the growth of startups and make them successful.

So, it seems like a natural fit that Braventure would be such an active sponsor and participant in April’s pitching event.

“In Brabant, we are used to joining forces if it supports the development of our startups,” explains Nijs. “From the moment LUMO Labs connected to Draper University and invited us to take part in the event, we wholeheartedly said ‘yes.’ Although the pandemic didn’t make things easy, the energy from the startups and the impact on their development has been huge. We love it!”

Braventure’s enthusiasm for startups is contagious and the organization is a proponent of supporting startups to boost the entire province. However, they also see the value to regional startups in traveling to California to experience that ecosystem as well.

“Experiencing the magic of Silicon Valley cannot be underestimated,” says Nijs. “The density of talent and money can be overwhelming. Seeing thousands of startups moving around – including many potential competitors – makes you understand that you need focus, speed and a power team to reach your goals. Many people are willing to connect you to relevant people and that open culture inspires many people and can speed up a startup’s journey in unforeseen ways.”

Nijs encourages all regional startups to apply for this once-in-lifetime chance. Even for startups that don’t win the final prize, there are still many benefits.

“Get the opportunity for a perfect introduction to Silicon Valley. Meet like-minded startups in Eindhoven. Sharpen your pitch and get relevant feedback from investors. It is that simple,” says Nijs. “Are you ready to conquer the world? Then, do not hesitate to apply.”

His LinkedIn quote says it all: “Be brave, build your business!” Draper’s Silicon Spring Pitch Prize is every startup’s opportunity to do so.

The deadline to apply for Draper’s Silicon Spring Pitch Prize has passed. We will announce the six startup finalists soon. The event is set for April 13^th at High Tech Campus Eindhoven, and we may have a few tickets available if you’d like to see the pitches. Follow LUMO Labs on LinkedIn and stay tuned!