Pre-Accelerator Programme

2020

Call Guideline & Rules

MIH2020/VAL002 Version 1.0, 18/06/2020

Purpose of the call

The YouStartIT Validator is a special programme designed to help people who have an idea about starting a

tech company. The idea can be at a conceptual level, or you may have already developed a wireframe or very

basic prototype to demonstrate the concept (TRL 0 to 31).

This year’s edition will focus on the following Thematic Area: ideas that could help address the growing

demand for fast-track innovations and business continuity solutions sparked by the Corona Virus pandemic.

Industries affected include healthcare, transport, retail, commerce, catering, enterprise tech and real estate,

amongst many others.

In the above context the purpose of the Validator is two-fold:

To give you the tools to carry out all the necessary research to clearly frame the problem that you

wish to solve, prove that there is a potential market for your solution, understand who your

competitors are, and that your business model can sustain your company in the future

To prepare you for YouStartIT#6 (the sixth and next edition of the YouStartIT Accelerator2)

YouStartIT#6 is planned to start in October 2020; this is the phase during which you will be expected to

proceed with further validation by building a working prototype (MVP3) that you will use to test and measure

customer feedback and perfect your prototype for later launching. Funding of up to €30,000 is being made

available for the accelerator phase, and disbursed according to progress and performance: €20,000 as a cash

grant, and €10,000 in the form of ongoing support services.

In short, the programme helps you validate the business opportunity behind your project idea.

At the end of the YouStartIT#6 Accelerator programme you will be registered as an innovative startup

1 TRL: Technology Readiness Level 2 YouStartIT is an accelerator programme run by the MITA Innovation Hub (MIH), an innovation space operated by the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA). 3 Minimum Viable Product

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undertaking, you will have a prototype tested on the market, and you will have developed a business plan,

making you ready to apply for further institutional funding and/or angel investment. The diagram in the

previous page illustrates the programme in context.

Up to TEN (10) prospective startup projects will be accepted to participate in the Validator. Up to FOUR (4) of the

best projects will be selected to join the YouStartIT#6 cohort.

All Design Thinking and Validator programme sessions will be run completely online, and depending on

circumstances related to the Covid19 crisis, so will the YouStartIT#6 Accelerator.

Administrative criteria and rules

1. No fee is due upon applying. However, a deposit of €100 is due upon being selected to the Validator

programme. Such a fee is refundable in line with the rules explained in the General Rules section.

2. Applications must be submitted online via the F6S portal:

https://www.f6s.com/youstartitvalidator/apply.

3. Each team may submit only one application with one idea.

4. To ensure sufficient capacity, multi-disciplinarity and complementarity of skills, startup teams should

be composed of a minimum of two named and identified startup founders, who must be natural

persons and regularly residing in Malta. MITA may, at its discretion, request proof of residence.

5. At least one startup founder must demonstrate that he/she possesses the competences to cover the

future role of product manager4 in the startup. MITA may at its discretion, request a CV and academic

or educational qualifications, such as degrees or diplomas, as supporting evidence of technical

competence in the field of digital technology.

6. Students and members of the academic community are encouraged to participate, and are to seek

the involvement of faculty, alumni, researchers and industry experts.

7. This call is not open for undertakings or a startup team that is already formalised as a business

undertaking.

Programme description

The programme consists of three main parts:

1. Design Thinking – an online course, delivered by a third-party provider, to be completed by all the

participants before starting the core programme. It covers an overview of Design Thinking, and

4 The product manager is the co-founder responsible for taking technical decisions, managing the project from a technical point of view, and taking business critical technical decisions, such as technical design planning, product architecture and development platform selection.

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learning how to work with it as a model that helps you to ideate, experiment and adopt a problem

solving mindset.

2. Core Programme - covering four, weekly thematic blocks, delivered over eight sessions. Each session

will last one hour and a half. Refer to the timeline in the next pages.

o Week 1 – Customer Discovery and Market Analysis

Session 1 - Introducing Value Proposition Canvas, the techniques behind identifying

the proper customer segment and several Customer Development tactics

Session 2 - Introducing the Market Sizing concept and discovery of the best

Problem/Solution fit

o Week 2 - Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and Business Model Canvas

Session 3 - Introducing the concept of Low Fidelity MVPs

Session 4 - Introducing Business Model Canvas.

o Week 3 – KPIs and Metrics

Session 5 - Introducing project metrics (part 1)

Session 6 - Introducing project metrics (part 2)

o Week 4 – Preparation for the Bootcamp Session and Final Presentations

Session 7 – Introducing project management basics and drawing a project plan

Session 8 – Pitch training

3. Bootcamp - a two-day event, taking place right after the end of the Core Programme, organised to:

o Discuss and finalise the Milestone Plan covering the 12-week project which each startup will

deliver over the YouStartIT#6 acceleration programme,

o Explain more in detail the accelerator programme at all three levels: company or partnership

formation and related legal implications, project delivery and Social Impact Agenda,

o Select up to four (4) startup projects to participate in the YouStartIT#6 accelerator

programme.

The founders are expected to deliver results of market research and validation exercises in line with the

assigned deadlines.

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What the participating founders will gain As startup founders accepted to follow the programme, you will gain an understanding of the rationale behind

the need to validate a problem you are trying to solve, the customer segment you are targeting and the

selected business model. You will understand the importance of sizing your target market, gaining insights

about the behaviour of users and customers affected by the problem, and how or whether the technology

selected for your solution is the right one.

During the programme you will be equipped with the tools that will allow you to independently carry out tests

and exercises involving your target customers, as well as understand the underlying methodology and

rationale of each tool. You will also gain an understanding of the value of communication, and the

methodology of how to clearly and efficiently present your tech project and financial projections to your

selected target audience.

You are expected to commit at least FIFTEEN (15) hours of work per team per week throughout the Validator

programme, and eventually at least another THIRTY (30) hours per team per week throughout the Accelerator

programme.

Selection process

Applications to be accepted for the Validator programme will be ranked against the Selection Criteria

defined in Annex 1. After a review of all applications received and interviews with the shortlisted applicants,

up to TEN (10) of the top ranked teams will be selected and invited to follow the programme. All applicants will

receive the final score obtained as part of the selection process.

Emphasis on feasibility of the solution and/or breakthrough technologies without showing an entrepreneurial

vision on what you believe is a desirable and commercially viable solution will not score well.

Selection will focus on how well you prepared your submission and how well you describe your team to

possess the right level of expertise, competence and insights to implement your startup project.

After completing the Validator programme, up to FOUR (4) of the best startup teams will be selected to

follow the YouStartIT#5 programme. The teams will be selected against the Final Judging Criteria defined in

Annex 2. All teams selected to participate in the Validator will receive the final score obtained during the

judging process.

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General rules for participation

This is a not-for-profit initiative in tech entrepreneurship and innovation using public funds and resources. Rules have been designed to ensure only serious, talented and well-intentioned teams participate.

Furthermore, experience and results have shown that startup projects consisting of only one person are highly unlikely to succeed.

1. Startup teams accepted to the Validator programme must:

a) Be open about their business idea with the rest of the cohort following the programme, as well as with any involved mentors.

b) Be ready to carry out research assignments to validate their idea using Lean Startup approaches.

c) Appoint a named lead founder for the duration of the programme.

d) Sign the Acceptance Form in Annex 3, signifying acceptance of all rules, terms and conditions described in this Call Document, including payment of a deposit of €100 per team which is refundable upon completion of the Validator programme according to the rules in this section.

e) At least any one founder representing the team must be present for 80% of the weekly sessions. Extenuating circumstances for missing the remaining 20% must be approved in writing by the MITA Innovation Hub (MIH) manager who may request supporting evidence; such circumstances will not exempt the participants from presenting all assignments and results of activities scheduled by the Validator facilitator/s. Attendance below the minimum of 80% will automatically disqualify the startup team from the programme, automatically forfeiting their right for a refund. Delays to attended sessions will be factored in with the above-mentioned percentages.

f) Both startup founders must be present for the Bootcamp and final pitch at the end of the programme. A third or more founder are encouraged to attend.

2. Teams with startup projects deemed to be at an advanced level of maturity – typically concept ideas that have been validated and tested with a prototype in the intended environment (TRL 4-6) – will be invited by the evaluation committee to apply directly for the upcoming Accelerator programme YouStartIT#6.

3. Participation in the Bootcamp and final pitching session is mandatory for all startup teams that seek to be selected for the YouStartIT#6 Accelerator.

4. Startup teams selected at the final pitch to participate in the YouStartIT accelerator programme, must be ready to formalise into a Small Startup Undertaking registered in Malta as mandated by the rules of the YouStartIT programme. The undertaking shall take the form of a Partnership or Limited Liability Company, and shall be composed of a minimum of two co-founders and a maximum of nine.

5. MITA may, at its discretion, request a startup team to cease participation in the Validator programme, if in its reasonable opinion the team has failed to demonstrate sufficient commitment to the programme, acted negligently or failed to carry out the assignments. In such circumstances the startup team will forfeit its right to a refund of the €100 deposit.

6. Startup teams not accepted to the Validator or not selected at the final pitch will still be able to apply for the YouStartIT#6 Accelerator programme.

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Selection process and timeline

Call opens Mon 18/05/2020 Apply on www.mih.mt by latest 23:59 CET on Thu 18/06/2020

Evaluation of applications and interviews

Fri 19/06/2020 to Thu 02/07/2020 Evaluation of the applications against the Selection Criteria (Annex 1) Up to 10 applicants with the highest score will be asked to attend an online interview. Applicants will be asked questions about their competences, technical expertise and knowledge about the Thematic Area as applied to their business idea.

Announcement of selected projects

Fri 03/07/2020 Announcement of up to 10 of the highest ranked startup projects and acceptance formalities

Kick off session Mon 06/07/2020 Briefing session about the programme, and support and resources available, Monday 15:00-16:00

Design Thinking Mon 06/07/2020 to Fri 17/07/2020 Design Thinking for Innovation online course

Validator Mon 20/07/2019 to Fri 14/08/2020 YouStartIT Validator programme covering eight sessions held every Monday and Thursday at 3:00-4:30pm

Bootcamp and final pitching session

Mon 17/08/2020 to Tue 18/08/2020 Briefing sessions and assessment of project plans; pitches are judged against the Final Judging Criteria (Annex 2)

Though every effort has been made to ensure completeness of the programme, the MITA Innovation Hub

reserves the right to carry out changes to the above timeline or rectify any errors after publication, including

switching mode of delivery of the programme from online to on-location (physical presence).

The programme may be withdrawn without notice if an insufficient number of applications are received.

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Before applying

By submitting an application for this programme you are confirming that:

you are in agreement will all the rules, terms and conditions in this document

you have read the MIH Rules of Engagement available on the MIH website, as well as the F6S Privacy

Policy, Terms of Use and Cookie Policy before submitting

To find out how to access the application form refer to the next section titled How to Apply. You should first

initiate your application form on F6S before requesting any feedback or clarifications about the process from

the MITA Innovation Hub team.

How to apply To apply Startups should first register on the F6S portal and then fill out the application form. To access the

F6S portal, click on the green F6S button on the MIH website. After completing the application you should

submit it electronically by Thursday 18th June 2020 at 23:59 hours CET.

Any attachments that are illegible, inaudible or non-viewable will not be reviewed. So it is your responsibility

to test them prior to uploading. Any supporting documentation such as slide decks or PDF files should be

concise, requiring not more than ten (10) minutes reading time.

Connectivity issues are a common occurrence. We therefore strongly recommend you avoid submitting

applications just minutes before the deadline, as we will not be able to make any exceptions and the F6S

button switches off automatically. Ensure that any URL links to web content used in your application is

available until the selection process is concluded.

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Annex 1 - Selection criteria

All applications will be judged in line with the selection criteria and the Thematic Areas governing the call. This will be

carried out by MITA. The following five sets of criteria will be applied to each submitted application.

A. Team credibility and competences – the team must convince the evaluating committee that they are committed

to their startup project, and that they possess or are able to muster the required technical expertise, resources

and competences in the Thematic Area needed to execute the business idea.

B. Problem definition – the degree of competence on and around the problem area which the team’s proposed idea

will resolve; the extent to which the team has identified the pains to be solved and the gains to be achieved by

the customer.

C. Choice of technology – the team must provide a convincing justification for the choice of technology to execute

the business idea and an explanation on why they believe it is the right technology to use to solve the identified

problem.

D. Commercial potential of the idea – the anticipated appeal of the proposed solution to the identified customers,

the value to be delivered; what pains will it solve, and what gains will be achieved by the customer; an

anticipation of future financial returns.

E. Innovativeness – a combination of one or more of the following factors that are likely to translate into an unfair

advantage of the proposed solution: the degree of newness of the solution or business model to the market, the

potential superiority over existent solutions, and the emerging or high impact nature of the technology used.

The applications will be ranked according to the score achieved for each judging criterion. The application with the highest

score will be selected for the programme.

For each selection criteria a score from 0 to 5 will be assigned:

0 - the application does not meet the relevant criterion or cannot be judged due to missing or incomplete

information.

1 - Very poor: The criterion is inadequately addressed, or includes serious weaknesses

2 - Not satisfactory: Although the application broadly addresses the criterion, there still are significant weaknesses.

3 - Good: The application addresses the criterion well, although improvements would be needed.

4 - Very Good: The application meets the criterion very well, but certain improvements are still possible.

5 - Excellent: The application successfully meets all relevant aspects of the criterion in question. Any shortcomings

are minor.

Based on the scores of the individual selection criteria, a total score will be calculated for each application.

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Annex 2 - Final Judging Criteria To be selected for the next edition of the YouStartIT accelerator programme, teams completing the Validator programme

will be judged against the following sets of criteria:

A. Team Credibility and Competence – in addition to having met the Eligibility Criteria for this call, the startup team

must demonstrate good team dynamics, complementary and multi-disciplinary skills, competences and/or

resources to deliver a first tested version of a prototype in 12 weeks. To ensure inclusivity from all members of

society, in instances of a tie, teams consisting of a diverse group will be favoured.

B. Problem - the degree of competence on and around the problem area which the team’s proposed idea will

resolve; the extent to which the team has qualified the pains to be solved and the gains to be achieved by the

customer measured in terms of time, cost, risk or revenue lost if the pain points are not solved within a certain

time period.

C. Value Proposition – the degree to which the team has quantified the uniqueness and innovativeness of the

solution by providing information about customer acquisition costs and product development costs, in relation to

an expected revenue and the value to be delivered to the customer.

D. Weekly Thematic Sessions and Bootcamp – level of participation and overall performance attained during the

various assignments of the programme.

E. Final Pitch – the degree of completeness of the final presentation which must cover all the outcomes of criteria A

to C above; non-verbal communication; graphical representation; clarity of delivery and confidence; and backing

references as needed.

The startup projects presented will be ranked according to the score achieved for each judging criterion. The team with the

highest score will be selected for funding as part of the YouStartIT Accelerator. Teams that fail to attain one or more of the

threshold scores (see below) will not be selected for funding.

For each award criteria a score from 0 to 5 will be assigned:

0 - the startup project does not meet the relevant criterion or cannot be judged due to missing or incomplete

information.

1 - Very poor: The criterion is inadequately addressed, or includes serious weaknesses

2 - Not satisfactory: Although the startup project broadly addresses the criterion, there still are significant

weaknesses.

3 - Good: The startup project addresses the criterion well, although improvements would be needed.

4 - Very Good: The startup project meets the criterion very well, but certain improvements are still possible.

5 - Excellent: The startup project successfully meets all relevant aspects of the criterion in question. Any

shortcomings are minor.

The respective thresholds for the award criteria are:

Criterion Threshold

A 3 B 3 C 3 D 3 E 3

Based on the scores of the individual award criteria, a total score will be calculated for each startup project.

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Annex 3 - YouStartIT Validator Acceptance Form

MITA accepts no liability for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, that may come about from any of the

Startup Team’s members participating in the Validator Programme. The participating members shall indemnify

and hold harmless MITA, its employees, agents, officers or sub-contractors with respect to all claims, demands,

actions, costs, expenses, losses, damages and all other liabilities arising from or incurred by reason of the actions

and/or omissions of the Startup Team in relation to participation in the Validator Programme, the non-fulfilment

of obligations of the Startup Team under this Agreement or its obligations to third parties.

NAME OF STARTUP TEAM:

ACCEPTANCE

The undersigned agree to the contents of the YouStartIT Validator Programme Call Document and Annexes,

ref. MIH2020/VAL002.

Name of Lead Founder

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ID/Passport No.

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Signature

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Email

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Mobile phone

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Address

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Name of Second Founder

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Signature

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Mobile phone

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Address

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Name of Third Founder

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ID/Passport No.

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Signature

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Email

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Mobile phone

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Address

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Name of Fourth Founder

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ID/Passport No.

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Signature

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Mobile phone

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Address

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Name of Fifth Founder

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