AlmaU Students tell about the results of the TechConnect Start-Up competition
November 12, 2015. Astana held the first biggest in Central Asia technological conference TechConnect.Tech, which represents start-up competition similar to Russian Start-up tour, which is annually held by Skolkovo.
The event is unique in the sense that domestic innovators are provided by an opportunity to implement their projects in their own country with the support of local investors.
At this event in the capital of Kazakhstan 150 investors, founders of the best 100 start-ups and 1500 guests from Central Asia, USA, Europe and CIS met together. 20 world experts in venture investments and innovations took the role of reporters at TechConnect.Tech.
At TechConnect AlmaU was represented by students – authors of innovational projects – Yersayin Tamabay, Kirill Tsoy and Yerlan Nurtayev. Guys agreed to tell about their start-ups in details.
Infalike – “Facebook” for students
The suggestion of Yersayin Tamabay, who is the 4th year student of the “Finance” degree, relates to the field of internet: Infalike – is a social network, oriented on students. “Actually, the product is ready, - says Yersayin, - But some parts have to be refined. But we need money for this. Experts and even the leader of TechConnect form New-York recognized that the project is good but it is needed to be launched first of all in order to attract investor”.
“The main feature of Infalike is that you have no need to add friends yourself as in FB or VK, - thinks author of the project. – There is a common list around the university – the circle of friends. Social network has its own password and key word and students of this university are able to “see” each other in Infalike and can communicate. In order to get an access to this social network other users have to receive a password. Either they can follow university’s account as friends or readers… TechConnect gathered very talented people from different countries – of course it was really interesting to communicate with them. The trip was very interesting and efficient also in the sense that I achieved the goal that I set: attract investors and go to the next level in creation of Infalike. I met influential people who already have experience in implementation of such start-ups, they gave me advice on how to act further”, - tells Yersayin.
According to calculations of the students, in order to realize this project it is needed 30 thousand dollars at the primary stage – for the rent of powerful servers and programmers’ salary. Yersayin is intended to implement his start-up in Silicone Valley where he is going to go after graduation. The primary capital and parent’s consent he’s already received and he, according to his words, is not going to give up.
Animation books in the style of “augmented reality” will be developed in Kazakhstan
The Project of the 3rd year student of the “Informational systems” degree of AlmaU Kirill Tsoy “Animation Books” is made in the style of student developments for mobile apps “augmented reality”. In the March of 2015 – Kirill’s project became winner in the track “Innovations for children” of Kazakhstan’s stage of Start-up Tour – 2015. Then student received number of offers from “skolkovs” on implementation of his start-up in Russia.
Kirill Tsoy put forward the idea of animation books for children (firstly tales). The idea was born when the student was working in the innovational museum of AlmaU and was thinking about design of museum’s central wall for the film-projector screen –displayed 3D-models, animation video clips in the style of infographics. Then idea to use the video guide in the museum instead of traditional audio guide became excellent decision – even guests from Great Britain and USA admired it.
And Kirill decided that the same idea can be used during the simple reading process. Besides, according to author’s words, it is necessary to differ animabooks from audiobooks. If technology of audiobooks has been using for a long time, and is based on usage of audio row (i.e. the voice of speaker reads book aloud from the beginning until the end), the animation book is quite different. So, imagine that you are buying the book and downloading the mobile app that helps to “revive” pictures in the book. For example, you are reading the tale about three pigs to your child. Directing the tablet or smartphone on the picture and little pigs start to sing, dance and etc. Or the creature starts running through the pages of the book in front of your eyes, i.e. pictures are not for “showing” all the tale, but giving stimulus to child to listen the tale till the end developing their imagination.
“Actually, this idea is not new, it just wasn’t taken seriously by nobody. The technology exists for a long time, but only now people start to understand its possibilities. Moreover, it is affordable almost for everyone. For example, good 3D-glasses cost 500 dollars, but 3D models and animation in mobile phone are cheap and all the people can afford them, - tells Kirill, - Now we are launching mobile app – it is processed in the App Store, and after the week or week and a half you will be able to download it. We have already processed the number of tales – “Red Hat” and others. In Parallel, we want to “get into” MES RK for implementation of our project in study material, in order to make pupils to read chemistry and physics with interest. Also we want to publish marketing products: advertisements, brochures and others – for private companies”.
According to students impressions, TechConnect – is a platform which didn’t exist before in Kazakhstan. “The level of organization is quite high. The impressions are exclusively positive, I think, we did well. There were companies which suggested to set their advertisement in our app, one person from Kazakhstan Association of patent and protection of intellectual property even promised to help to protect our patent. The main outcome of the trip, in my opinion, is that I decided to implement my start-up in Kazakhstan, but not in Russia or in other countries, - thinks Kirill, - the perspective was either go in Moscow, or somewhere farther. In Skolkovo they promised me support, but after Astana when I felt support from the Ministry of Education and Science of RK, I understood that it can be realized in Kazakhstan too”.
Postero Green: Here will be city-garden!
The 3rd year student of the “Logistics” degree Yerlan Nurtayev has been nurturing his project Postero Green long enough – since school times. “The core of the project is simple, - tells Erlan, - As we know, every man has to do three thing in his life: build a house, raise a son, and plant a tree. We help the person to manage the last point. The person can anytime visit our web-page, choose the sort and the price of the tree, available location, make payment and the tree will be planted. The feature is also is that our people will be take care about seedling, the person will be able to follow its growth and development, because special QR code is attached to the tree, and through GPS-system the man can find it. Besides, information that you have become the customer of Postero Green also will appear on your account in social networks, which evidences your social responsibility”.
Additional pluses – the person does not need to get permission on planting seedling (it is necessary, because akimat leads certification, standardization and counts trees in the city). He doesn’t need to spend time on searching tree – the assortment on the web-site is quite big, the price: from 3,5-4,5 thousand tenge till 100 thousand and higher. The most popular are coniferous and hardwood sorts. Additional post-service – if you choose fruitful tree, the fruits of this fruit are delivered to your home twice a year.
During the time of implementation of this project – 4 months – 250 trees were planted. Now the territory available for planting is included only Ile-Alatau national park. But guys conduct negotiations with akimat on including their project in General plan of planting trees in Almaty city. “The benefit is mutual – tells Yerlan, - the money from state budget directed aimed at tree planting can be called off (crisis). The problem of making megalopolis green can be solved by us. Moreover, it will be interesting if a person drives through the city and sees his own trees”.
According to Yerlan’s words, the service is popular among graduates, young moms (the tree for them is like a symbol of their baby’s growth). The next step is to arouse the interest of huge mining companies: “We have already had corporate orders from different companies. They usually have their own programmes on corporate social responsibility. We need to ensure appearance of our project in their strategy of development. I think, that they are supposed to be interested in that way of showing social responsibility, especially in conditions of crisis”, - thinks Yerlan.
“The person can plant one, maximum ten trees with his hands, but we give him an opportunity to build a garden for money. – thinks Yerlan. Start-up is at the initial stage of development and the student believes that TechConnect will help him in this issue. It is known that top manager of “Baiterek” holding Baizhan Kanafin is interested in the idea of Postero Green. “He said that he is really interested in this project, especially that there is a tree on their company’s logo. We agreed to call and discuss options of the support of start-up. I hope, it will have the result”, - concludes Yerlan.
