Vitalii Rysin, the Head of StartEra platform, Professor at the Department of Finance of Lviv Polytechnic National University, Doctor of Economic Sciences, spoke about the establishment of StartEra Platform, the principle of project approval, the possibilities for implementing ideas and the development of crowdfunding in Ukraine.
– How did the idea of creating StartEra platform emerge? Was it difficult and long way to the platform establishment?
– The idea to create StartEra platform emerged at Tech Startup School of Lviv Polytechnic, which focuses on creating a comfortable, innovative environment for creation and implementation of creative ideas and successful startups to help innovators move from idea to business model development, investment search and commercialization of innovation project. In this context, it is important to look for funding sources for projects. Worldwide practice proves that one of the most effective funding sources is crowdfunding. That is why we started to create our own crowdfunding platform, which could become one of the tools for the successful implementation of innovative ideas.
– For whom is the platform intended?
– StartEra is designed to support startups and help young developers create their own product without the use of credits. We provide an opportunity to present the idea, to prove its viability, to make the first sales and to attract investments for the idea implementation. At the same time, the important direction of the platform’s activity is to promote the implementation of various types of social projects, therefore our audience undoubtedly includes non-governmental organizations and socially active citizens.
– Platform experts – who are they and what are their functions?
– As it was already mentioned, the role of experts is to select projects that can be hosted on a fundraising platform. StartEra’s experts include well-known representatives of business, public and academic sectors in Ukraine. They are, in particular, Oleksii Skrypnyk, Ukrainian politician, entrepreneur, scientist, public activist and People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Yanika Merylo, political and public activist, expert on angel investments and information society, adviser to the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Oksana Dashchakivska, the leader of Western Ukrainian representative office of International Renaissance Fund, Rainer Schenk, Certified Tax Advisor, as well as experts which represent Lviv Polytechnic – Nataliia Chukhrai, Vice-Rector for Scientific Research, and Iryna Kliuchkovska, Director of the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations.
