The participants, graduates of 9th, 10th and 11th grades took part to presentation sessions, trainings, debates on various topics linked to IT and visited technical profile departments of Timişoara's universities .
From the event's first day when project ideas were identified and selected, until the moment of the final pitching of their applications in front of a specialists' jury, the students faced various challenges. Rapid assimilation of new concepts and work methodologies, accommodation with the team work, the "coopetition" with the other teams, delegating and assuming responsibilities, but also identifying and overcoming technical obstacles brought valuable lessons for the future IT entrepreneurs.
In the Summer School's last day, the three developed projects were presented to a jury made up of Ovidiu Şandor, local entrepreneur and entrepreneurship promoter, Andrei Firoiu, Adrian Cuzman and Octavian Chiş, IT specialists and active members of the local communities.
Shop Speed-UP (an shopping effectiveness increasing app developed by Cosmin Argatu, Emilian Băcilă and Lavinia Crîsta) and Griddly (an innovative online game developed by Alex Arghirescu, Alina Ignea, Carmen Sima, Codruț Chis, Felix Grăvilă and Vlad Temian) - both having significant mobile components - shared the Business Mosquito Prize for their high business potential.
Griddly also won the Technology Mosquito Prize for the most interesting use of technology.
Both winning projects are capable of generating incomes, both through classic models such as selling usage licenses or placing advertisements, but also through some original approaches well adapted to the specific of applications and to the markets where they serve.
Summer School's mainly practical side and it's orientation to concrete results led to support from the local entrepreneurs and specialists, officials of the academic environment, and specialists from abroad, but it also led to a 1000 EUR sponsorship for prizes from City Business Centre Timişoara.
"Considering that City Business Centre wants to support the innovative local businesses, this initiative which encourages young passionates to transform their ideas into products deserves to be supported and promoted. This kind of competitions increases the standards for the young, trains them, help them understand that for being successful in business and in life one needs inspiration, passion and a lot of work." declared Ovidiu Şandor, CEO of ModaTim Investment, the developer of City Business Centre Timişoara.
The second edition of "Tim Teen IT" rose the interest of approximately 25 pupils from three high-schools from Timişoara, which signed up for this program. They were selected afterwards on the basis of their technical knowledge level, the nature of their previous projects, the results obtained in various IT contests and also their declared motivation for taking part at the Summer School.
"Complementing the theoretical knowledge with practical skills, building on the students' creative potential, offering adapted training, developing team work abilities and cultivating entrepreneurship are just some of the advantages which "Tim Teen IT" brings to the participants." highlights Radu Ticiu, Executive Director of Timișoara Software Business Incubator, which is also the organizer of the program.
About Tim Teen IT
"Tim Teen IT" Summer School 2011 is the second edition of a project organized by the Timișoara Software Business Incubator and aims to expose new concepts, methodologies and practices from the IT entrepreneurship domain to high school students from Timişoara and Timiş county. At the same time, this initiative offers them the possibility to develop their technical, communication and leadership skills.
The first edition of the Summer School was included into a pan-European collection of good practices in the domain of involving the young and it is now evaluated to become a policy recommendation to the EU level, within People, a INTERREG IV C project, of which Timiş county is partner.
More pictures from the Summer School can be found here and here.
