Take part in the Start JLM contest and win a trip to capital of Startup Nation Israel

Friday August 18, 2017 , 4 min Read

Israel’s reputation as the Startup Nation is well-deserved. With an ecosystem that nurtures entrepreneurial ambitions and sets them on the road to success, the country has a proven track record of generating more startups than any other Asian or European country.

Now, early stage startups from across the globe have a chance to be a part of this buzzing ecosystem via the Start JLM (Jerusalem) Startup Competition. The programme offers young and innovative entrepreneurs from several countries a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Israel, and participate in a ‘boost camp’ in Jerusalem that will help them gain momentum in their entrepreneurial journey.

Start JLM (Jerusalem) offers innovative, early-stage startup founders from around the globe an exciting opportunity to experience first-hand Jerusalem’s vibrant startup ecosystem. From lessons on starting and scaling, to interacting with the country’s leading entrepreneurs, investors and domain experts, the opportunities to learn are immense. What’s more? All this takes place in Jerusalem, which is an exciting destination for startups and home to Israel’s leading companies, investors and academic institutions.

The last date to enter the competition is September 4, 2017. Apply today.

How will it work?

START JLM is an initiative by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Jerusalem Development Authority, the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage and the Municipality of Jerusalem, in partnership with leading local organisations such as Siftech, Intel, JVP and OurCrowd.

The Embassy of Israel in India has partnered with the Government of India’s Department of Science & Technology (DST) to select the Founders/CEOs of five startups to attend the Start Jerusalem Final Competition Event in Delhi on September 28, and will pitch their solution to a panel of experts. The winner will be announced at the end of the event. The winner will then go on to Israel to participate in the Start Jerusalem event being held from November 5-11.

All the participants also have a chance to be featured on prominent media channels. The five finalists will also get to join one of India’s leading incubators for free.

Read on to find out the other reasons why you should definitely apply to the programme.

Innovation hub: Israel is globally known as an innovation hub, and accords great importance to education and intellectual capital.

Bustling startup destination: Jerusalem is one of the fastest growing tech hubs. Time Magazine ranked Jerusalem as the first among five emerging tech hubs in the world, while Compass placed Jerusalem among the honourable top 30 leading startup ecosystems worldwide.

A chance to network with like-minded people from across the globe: The global reach of the contest means that you get to connect with entrepreneurs from other countries, learn from them and build lasting relationships that can take you places.

Mentorship: The Israeli government actively nurtures startups through incubators and accelerators. Other support is in the form of an open culture and a collaborative atmosphere where established entrepreneurs support other budding entrepreneurs.

‘Boostcamp’ your way to success

The winners from each country will take part in a ‘boostcamp’, with workshops and sessions designed to take their product or solution to the next level. These include interactive chats and panels, specially designed ‘how-to’ workshops, visits to leading companies and exclusive networking meet-ups with the city’s startup community. As part of the ‘boostcamp’:

Leading founders will share their entrepreneurial journey and their ‘secret sauce’
Prominent investors will help you understand what they look for in a startup
Interactive workshops will be held to enhance creativity and strengthen your entrepreneurial skill sets
You will get exposure to disruptive technologies and trends, and
Receive feedback about your venture in exclusive one-on-one sessions with entrepreneurs and investors

Who can apply?

All Indian tech startups who meet these criteria can apply: