"Bussiness Starter" - Startup competition

In different countries of the world, as well as in Georgia, progress and interest in innovations and entrepreneurship are becoming more and more visible and relevant. Start-ups have the opportunity to develop their own ideas and turn them into real profitable activities.
Rustavi Innovations Hub with the support of UNDP launched a new initiative, under which it was planned to financially support startups and promote youth entrepreneurship. The organization’s partners from the private sector, local and international civil society organizations and academia were actively involved in the process.
Before the announcement of the competition, inter-sectoral cooperation had already taken place and the cycle of working meetings was at its intensive stage. The main essence of the startup ideas competition was to offer business ideas, which must be functionally related to Rustavi. This process was part of the ecosystem supporting youth entrepreneurship created in January, 2020 by the initiative of the Rustavi Innovation Hub. The readiness of the parties involved in the project contributed to the success of the initiative. The fact that representatives of different sectors were involved in the planning process and implementation, who have extensive experience in similar activities, created a good precondition for ultimate success. Ten business ideas were selected in the first round of the startup competition.
The young people who advanced to the next stage underwent an acceleration process led by experienced trainers and mentors from the Future Laboratory and the Business and Technology University (BTU). As a result of Business Starter, 4 winning teams were identified (City Service, Sweep, eWash, Farco), and granted with GEL 8,000 funding to implement their innovative ideas.