On September 29, the International Online Pitching Forum took place as part of the LAUNCH-INNO-LAB project, bringing together startup teams, experts, and partners from Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Turkey.
The forum simulated a real-world environment for pitching business ideas to experts; each team had three minutes for their pitch and another three minutes for questions and professional feedback.
Participants presented a wide range of solutions: GoStara (digitization of taxi services in small and medium-sized towns), MyVet (veterinary and other pet services), SmartPet/PetTravel Smart AI (facilitating international travel with pets), MNENIA AI (AI and personalized learning), and Pomni (a solution to assist the elderly with medication adherence).
Entries from Turkey included Kafe-in, SmartHerd AI, and Functional Bio Beverage, covering digital services, IoT and machine learning in livestock farming, and circular solutions in the food sector. Lithuanian teams presented INDENQOR (RegTech and KYC processes), NFT Bakers (a digital loyalty model), and RE:WEAR (combining technology with circular fashion).
An international jury with practical experience in business, finance, and academia
The international jury played a key role in the forum, bringing together diverse yet complementary areas of expertise. • Zhana Hristova – Bulgarian Stock Exchange / BEAM Growth Market – capital markets,
investments, and access to growth financing;
- Plamen Yonchev – SIS Credit – business financing and microfinance, including
working with startups founded by students and PhD candidates; - Albina Yasinskaya – entrepreneur and owner of Rozino Organic Farm –
entrepreneurship, sustainable business, ESG, and the circular economy; - Gitana Mečėjienė – Vilniaus kolegija (VIKO) – banking, financial services, and academic
expertise; - Prof. Dr. Kemal Çelik – Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University – academic expertise,
innovation, and entrepreneurship.
This combination enabled the startups to receive feedback not only on the idea itself but also
on its business model, market potential, customer base, financing, scalability, and
practical implementation.
Key recommendations to the teams included engaging with potential customers
as early as possible to verify whether there is a genuine market need and a willingness
to pay for the proposed solution. Participants were encouraged to connect with investors,
entrepreneurs, and other members of the startup ecosystem, and to utilize the
feedback received for the next stage of their development.
During the concluding discussion, a specific opportunity was also extended to some of
the startups to continue dialogue with representatives of the financial sector should
the need for financing arise in the future. The forum concluded not with a ranking, but with professional feedback, new contacts, and concrete guidelines for further developing the business ideas.
