HSE Startup Community

HSE Startup Community is a new online project from HSE Business Incubator. Why do you need to join?

Many people learn from their own mistakes and experiences. But there is a better way - to learn from the mistakes of others and use some insights from well-experienced professionals. Therefore, the HSE Business Incubator is launching the HSE Startup Community - a community of HSE students and staff who are interested in entrepreneurship and mutual assistance in the development of their projects.

Participants will be able to turn their ideas into a working business or finalize a startup at any stage with the help of master classes from recognized experts and, of course, a knowledge base for launching their startup. It's free and online. All this will save you a huge amount of time and effort when you work on your own project.
What will participation in the community give to you?

In addition to invaluable experience, everyday progress and new useful acquaintances, you will find:

• 1. Online educational courses. You will have the access to a startup school, lectures and master classes from recognized experts and workshops necessary for the development of the project.

• 2. Networking with community members and experts. Enjoy working in a team with professionals.

• 3. Discounts, promotional codes for partner services to create your own startups.

• 4. Various community activities. You will have pitches, networking events, consultations and etc.

We asked Alexey Nitsa, the manager of this project, several questions about HSE Startup Community several questions.

How did you come up with the idea of creating this project?

There is HSE Business Incubator in HSE, but there is no special online platform for all programmes where HSE students and staff could find like-minded people for actualizing new business projects. So, we decided to organize HSE Startup Community to create a community interested in developing in business sphere.

How will the selection be held?

It is crucial that at least one member of a group should be from Higher School of Economics. It can be a student or a professor or any HSE staff member. For me, as a curator, it is essential that future participants already have an idea of a project and a motivation to turn it into the reality. That is already enough to join our community.

What qualities are you looking for in future candidates?

The main quality we are looking for in future candidates is a high motivation and driving force to launch your own startup. Those who are most passionate about the idea are the first to succeed. Experience is not important, because the main point is that a participant wants to move forward, not be afraid of trying new things, improve business skills and find people in spirit.  

How it will go and how to apply?

The organizers will gather those who wish in one chat and ask each member of the community to fill out a small questionnaire silently. The database of community members will be available to all participants - you can meet people who are interesting to you, and they will be with you.
Various events will be held periodically in the community: lectures, master classes, networking formats, communication with experts. You will learn new things and communicate with other community members and develop your project.

From time to time, the organizers will initiate discussion of topics related to entrepreneurship so that the entire community can participate in the discussion, share experiences. The most active community members who have projects and progress on them, we will help with mentoring and finding useful contacts, and we will invite someone directly to the accelerator. Once a week, you will be asked to fill out a short report on the development of your project - this will help supervisors to understand where else they can help and what to offer you additionally.

If you have an idea and if you are ready to challenge yourself and try to launch your project, you should join HSE Startup Community.

Here you will learn how to:

• Build a successful business model
• Make a CustDev (Customer Devepolment)
• Build MVP and test a hypothesis
• Promote your project and get the first clients

How to apply?

Fill a form at this website and wait for the respond of a community manager.

Text by
Anna Samoilova