12 projects took part in the IT cluster’s October ten-day trip to Silicon Valley. During road-show participants visited the largest technological IT-companies of the Valley; Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, Facebook, Google, etc. Cluster residents had an opportunity to see how these companies work and to communicate with leading experts to receive a feedback about the projects. Skolkovo Foundation residents also have become acquainted with founders and entrepreneurs in businesses such as incubators and accelerators Plug-n-play, TechShop, US Market Access, I. O. Incubator, and BlackBox. Meeting with the foreign companies and businessmen has given the cluster residents additional self-reliance and understanding of their role in the general eco-system of venture industries. It has also emphasized the role of Skolkovo in acceleration of their integration into a universal technological space. Residents have attended a number of lectures and trainings about how to do business in the Valley, comments about work with the intellectual property rights and patents in the USA, and work with mass-media in the United States. The highlight of the road-show was the Demo-day, during which participants received feedback and an estimation of the presented projects market value from venture funds. The following funds participated in the Demo-day: Garage Technology Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, DFJ, Excel Partners, Sequoia Capital, Accel Partners, Khosla Ventures, Sofinova Ventures, Tugboat Ventures and many others.
For more details — see presentation and booklet.