Startup Games is a 1-day event backed by the UK government and Tech City London, and supported by SGInnovate

It is like ‘Shark Tank’ but in an app form – and with no actual capital involved.

Startup Games is a 1-day event that lets entrepreneurs raise virtual seed funds through a simulated investment game. The startup that raises the most virtual funds will be flown to the UK, where it will be able to meet a selected group of UK entrepreneurs and study the UK ecosystem.

The vertical-agnostic startup competition was first held in the Rio Olympic Games last year, and was won Brazil-based social networking app BeerOrCoffee, which, as the name suggests, allows users to match with people with similar interests to meet for a quick beer or coffee.

This year, Startup Games will roll out in Singapore. Backed by the UK government and Tech City London, as well as supported by Singapore government-backed deep tech collaboration centre SGInnovate, the event will be held on March 23.

Multi-stage European VC Octopus Ventures and other UK entrepreneurs, VCs, and other angel investors will be speaking at the event. Participants will also be able to receive guidance from entrepreneurs such as Jamal Hassim, CEO and founder of live-TV and on-demand video content platform SyQic; and Shobit Shukla, co-founder of location intelligence platform Near.

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“The Startup Games offers an excellent opportunity to gain exposure and access to the top Asian investors and is the perfect platform to find out more about growing your business in the UK with advice from local and visiting experts,” said Warren Pain, Deputy Director and Head of Inward Investment, UK Department of International Trade Singapore.

“Singapore is consistently one of the best places to do business and the UK similarly, offers a friendly environment for Singaporean and ASEAN startups looking to grow their business internationally. Low tax rates, access to finance and world class hubs, talent and accelerators are some of the many reasons why the UK remains an attractive place to do business in,” added Pain.

Startup Games said that teams with any of these three key attributes would stand a better chance to win over investors:

  1. An innovative solution to a problem, the more pressing and global, the better;
  2. A unique product or service that has been tested and honed, and even though not at its best yet, has gain some traction and is set for further development and growth;
  3. A founding team with core skills unique to the business, that has its sights set on the world at large, and is ready to go global using the UK as a springboard to the world.

Interested participants should submit a business plan and an optional video pitch (not longer than two minutes) to this link to qualify. The closing date is on March 6.

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Image Credit: Startup Games

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