Abt Hysea Product Forum
Hysea (the Hyderabad Software Exporters Association) has been having product awards for many years. Since last year we have a fairly active Products' Forum in Hysea. Among other things we conduct regular Technology Workshops (like a week ago we had a workshop on Cloud Computing, and end of Sept' we have a workshop on Software Products' testing); And, we actively support Barcamps and StartupSaturday in Hyderabad.
Annual Product Showcase and Awards
Given the recent traction in activities, this year we want to expand the Product Awards event to a large public event (so far, the product demo and presentations happen to a small panel, in private). So we are looking at an event:-
Product demos
Startup workshop, on some of the mechanics of starting up
- a support eco-system workshop (VCs, Angels, et al)
Concluding plenary session
- with highly accomplished product leaders and senior minister as chief guest. Discuss the product opportunities.
- Announce award winners
Event:
Showcase of products and innovation in Hyderabad
- Demos of products
- Workshops on products and innovation
- Invited key note speakers
- Large format finale event (invite CM or such)
Tracks
- Startups (just getting into biz. First version of products exists. Few or no customers)
§ Infrastructure (app platforms, frameworks,..) space
§ Biz solutions
- Web Portals based services business
- Established companies
§ Indian
§ MNC products built out of Hyderabad (pre-dominant work)
- Student Product idea contest (for final year project)
§ Shortlisted student ideas presented at the event
Awards
- In each category above (including sub-cat?)
- Special award for Innovation
- Panel to listen and review in the public presentations made by participants
§ Additional info to be provided as a hand-out per a template made by the panel
Format:
Inaugural event (1 hour)
- Welcome and introduction of event
- Accomplished entrepreneur as keynote
- Two product CEOs to share experiences in Hyderabad
- VCs to talk about innovation support eco-system
- Introduce (and cite/recognize) all product award panelists
- Kickoff the product showcase/awards events
Two sessions of product demos. In two tracks
(10 mts each, along with a fact-sheet handout for panel)
(Founders/VP-dev to present)
- Session 1: (2 hrs)
§ Infra Startups
§ Biz solution startups
- Lunch
- Session 2: (2 hrs)
§ Portals
§ Established products
- Session 3: (1 hour)
(Three parallel events- student-contest and startup tracks)
§ Student project contest- finalists (10)
· (5 minute idea brief to be presented. Along with a fact-sheet handout for panel members)
§ Startup workshop (2 hours. In two tracks)
· Fund raiser track
· Legal/IP track
Product panel discussion (75 mts)
- Public showcase of products.by CEOs. (8 mts each. Five companies)
- The awards panel to have a 30 mt panel discussion on products/innovation
- Format TBD
Finale: Important dignitary as chief guest (maybe CM?) (75 mts)
- Summarize the product innovation activity
- Release Hysea product directory
- Announce initiatives (if any) to promote and encourage new startups
§ (Lobby with govt to provide incentives for the same?0
- Product awards ceremony
(Shd be a major press event)
Banquet dinner/social
Nominations:
Hysea will front-end the product nominations
- All product nominations to be automatically considered for HeadStart event
- HS will help promote the event in the HS/SS/Barcamp network
Will work with student-forum for student contest
Partnerships/Sponsors:
Hysea will front-end.
?? Explore as a joint event with Nasscom?
Will enlist partners: HS, maybe TiE, Nasscom
Sponsors
- VCs: Get VCs to be on panels. Request sponsorships
§ Target 1.5 lacs each.
§ In return, they will get all contact details of the startups/product companies participating
- Request patrons among Hyd’ industry majors. Atleast two.
§ Target 2 lacs each. Explore- Satyam, ADP, Indy, ….
- Major product companies: five sponsors. 1 lac each.
§ to get a public showcase slot before finale(8 mts)
§ be mentioned as a co-sponsor in all publicity
- Student Contest branding opportunity- one (2 lacs?)
§ (Progress is interested)
- Other product companies: any number (50k each?)
§ Will get mentioned as assoc-sponsor in publicity/ads
§ Get a stall
Key dates:
Announce event in October
Fix panelists (for- startups, established products, student contest) by Nov 15
Nominations (products and student contests)- by Dec 31
- Forward these to HS as well
Shortlisting- by Jan 15
Main Event: Jan end or early Feb
Venue:
Need 1 large hall (750+), and two smaller halls (150 each)
- Probably look at Taj Krishna or HICC
- ? Explore low-cost options- IIIT or ISB ?
Costs: 20 lacs
Venue: 2 lacs?
Logistics/event mgr (stalls, stage, etc.)- 2 lacs?
Lunch and snacks (400 ppl)- 1.5 lac?
Banquet dinner (750 ppl)- 3 lacs?
Prizes/momentoes- 1 lac
Student prizes (2 lacs)
- Laptops?
Student contest cash-fellowship award- 2 lac
- Winner 1.5 lac
- 2 runners up- 25k each
- 7 citations-
(All 10 will get mentoring in their final year, for building first version of their idea)
Publicity/Ads- 9-12 lacs
- Need series of ads. Atleast two papers. 2-3 times each.
Misc: 2 lacs
Possible Panelists
VCs: IDG, DFJ (Sateesh), Ojas,
Angels: TBD
MNC Products: Motorola, Google, Yahoo, Amazon, ..
Hyderabad product leaders: Pramati, …
Academia: IIIT, JNTU-Kukatpally, ISB, ..
