PCComponentes, the main technology company in the Region and established as one of the ‘big ten’ of the Murcian economy according to Top Empresas Murciadiario 2019, takes another step in its commitment to growth and wants to do it in the hands of the most incipient companies , the startups. Therefore, it has launched its own startup accelerator, the ‘PcComponentes Startup Booster’, or, as they call it in the Alhamean company, PSB.
“In PcComponentes the continuous improvement is in our DNA, and innovation has been a constant commitment since we started. However, we want to encourage and further enhance this innovation,” said Alfonso Tomás, CEO and co-founder of PCComponentes.
“In Spain we have an entrepreneurial ecosystem that is doing incredible things, but that need help in the form of visibility, financing, mentoring, etc. Adding both factors, promoting innovation and innovative projects, we think that a clear improvement path was collaborating with these projects more disruptive, helping each other to evolve the ecommerce and retail sector, which is why we have created PcComponentes Startup Booster, a startup acceleration program, focused on improving the ecosystem, “adds Tomás through Linkedin.
The startup acceleration program will support emerging companies in six areas that PCComponentes considers key to their own development. These areas are:
Products / services
This challenge includes all those products and services that can influence the value chain of PcComponentes and that do not fit the specific definition of the rest of the challenges.
This challenge includes all those products and services that can influence the value chain of PcComponentes and that do not fit the specific definition of the rest of the challenges. Payments: this challenge includes all those solutions related to payments / collections / financing
This challenge includes all those solutions related to payments / collections / financing Logistics: those products / solutions that affect the logistics area are included.
Products / solutions that affect the logistics area are included. Marketing: those products / services that may be an innovation in the marketing strategy of PcComponentes may apply to this challenge
Those products / services that could be an innovation in the marketing strategy of PcComponentes can be applied to this challenge. Support and customer service: there are room for solutions that may involve an innovation when supporting customers
Those solutions that can be an innovation when supporting customers have a digital capacity: Digital transformation: companies that provide innovative solutions related to the digital transformation of companies must apply to this challenge: systems improvement, business process automation , etc.
Within this acceleration program, the company plans to launch, every four months, a project selection program, whose finalists will have the possibility of obtaining financing. Another key point that the finalists will obtain is to have a great client from the beginning, which will make them gain in reliability and image for other new clients.
They will also have the opportunity to launch a final pitch with other investors interested in solutions such as yours, mentoring experts in each of the areas, networking with other finalists, etc.
THE CONDITIONS. PCComponents Startup Booster seeks scalable companies (“with a clear vocation for growth) with registered offices in Spain, established as a commercial company and having a maximum of 24 months of life. The projects must have an important technological base and their core business must deal with a solution innovative that can fit into any of the challenges defined in the program.
In addition, the Alhamanian company requires that the founders dedicate themselves full time to the company and represent at least 80% of the startup’s shareholding. They must also be willing to travel to Murcia for the face-to-face training phase of three days.
THE DEADLINES. The program is divided into 4 phases: pre-selection, selection, training and final pitch. The first phase, pre-selection, is open until December 31 of this year. It is the time when candidates must send their proposals to this address.
Subsequently, between January 7 and 22, PCComponent analysts will study the proposals and screen according to their criteria. The company warns that the criteria that will prevail will be: improvement or problem that it solves, degree of innovation, future scalability, founding team, etc. From this phase, six finalists will come out.
These six finalists will go to the training phase, which will be held between January 29 and 31, 2020. This period will take place in Murcia (expenses paid). Those selected will have the opportunity to show their projects to the dome of PCComponentes, receive specialized mentoring in different business areas and create a quality network with the rest of the finalists. This phase will conclude with the appointment of up to 3 winners.
Finally, the last week of February the winners will be invited to present their projects to the Aurorial Investment Committee (group investment vehicle) in the Final Pitch.
Also published on Medium.