Today at Metavallon VC we are launching our first Industry Challenge, a new initiative to support our startup and founders network.

Industry Challenges focus on specific vertical sectors and technologies of interest and run through our Pre Seed call for investments and through our Seed investments. The aim is for startups to hear from and connect with corporate leaders, who will share their views on the challenges and related opportunities in their field for the years to come!

What is this all about

In our first Industry Challenge titled “Networks, Intelligence and Infrastructure”, we have engaged four exceptional Partners: Ericsson, Vodafone, Citrix and Entersoft. These will share the technological challenges as they see them presently and as they expect  then these will evolve in the near future.

Issues within sectors and corporations are neither obvious nor basic. Our Partners take the first step to share their insights on issues they face and opportunities they recognize within their market. Startup founders are then called to submit the businesses they are working on for Pre-Seed Investment (Final deadline April 15) or Seed Investment. Pre-Seed Investment Calls run twice a year, hence startups are encouraged to continuously work towards the challenges. More vertical Industry Challenges will be announced in the following months.

How can a startup benefit

Benefits are immediate and straightforward. Through these Challenges, startup founders may:

• Gain unique insight on market needs, so that they may tweak their technologies, models and business offerings and make them more relevant to their potential clients
• Increase their chance of securing investment from Metavallon VC, by presenting an attractive value proposition to the market

This is our first such initiative at Metavallon VC – a glimpse into opportunities to come! Startups that we invest in will also have the chance to work closely with leaders participating in the Challenges, in order to run pilots in real business conditions and gain their first influential customers.

What is the setup

So here is what to expect from our very first Industry Challenge. We have a week of activities, insights and interaction planned out:

• Tuesday & Wednesday, March 27/28 – We introduce our Industry Partners Ericsson, Vodafone, Citrix and Entersoft, who share their views on the market, on industry directions and on issues to be tackled
• Thursday, March 29 – We are setting up an interactive Q&A through Twitter, our very first Twitter Chat, where founders will have the opportunity to connect in real time with and also place their questions to our Partners — PLUS we open the Industry Challenge section in our submission form*
• Friday, March 30 – All the info and insights will be delivered to your digital footstep.

*If you have already submitted your company and wish to participate, no problemo – we will share instructions on exactly how to do so!

What next

Mark our first Industry Challenge on Networks, Intelligence and Infrastructure with your own input: Share with us the relevant sectors you are working on through our Industry Challenge Poll! 

Also checkout the challenges our Partners have shared: Ericsson, Citrix, Vodafone, Entersoft as well as our Twitter Chatter with more insights and tips on how startups and corporates can work together in telecoms, networks and cybersecrity.