Blackbox Connect is a highly competitive two-week program that is open to global startup founders seeking to hone their craft of entrepreneurship, amplify their drive, and fortify their company’s foundation.
Every year it comes together with a hand-picked cohort of founders from across the globe, where the ‘Blackboxers’ are immersed in an intensive, residential experience in the heart of San Francisco.
The 23rdEdition of Blackbox Connect from the 13th – 24thAugust 2018 has selected 14 startups for an immersive residential experience at Taohaus in San Francisco, offering the emerging international entrepreneurs an opportunity to live and learn together while connecting with top Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, investors, thought leaders, and executives in an intimate, open, and collaborative environment.
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The two week program is to consist of speaker sessions, workshops, pitch coaching, mentoring and expert feedback, and ends with an intimate dinner celebration on August 23rd, where the CEOs will get an opportunity to connect and exchange value with Silicon Valley leaders from the Blackbox network.
The 14 participants at Blackbox Connect include various startups working on edtech, ecommerce, enterprise software, etc and hail from Peru, Indonesia, Ireland, Spain, France, Argentina, South Korea, Mongolia, Chile, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Venezuela, and the United States.
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Pakistan @ Blackbox
The Pakistani startup WonderTree, an augmented reality platform that develops games that aim to improve the motor and cognitive skills in special needs children is one of the selected startups at Blackbox Connect this year. The startup received a Google for Entrepreneurs Scholarship and was nominated by the technology incubator Nest i/o.
Speaking to IDG Pakistan, Mohammad Waqas CEO WonderTree said
“I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be a part of the BlackBox connect program. The learning and teachings that I am getting out of this program are really one of a kind. Apart on concentrating on usual silicon valley tips and tactics such as how to pitch, what to look for in a VC, how to raise a round (which by the way are very insightful and I have loads of learning for me even though I have been through many such session in Pakistan), the blackbox program also focuses on personal growth, development and how to better handle yourself so that you can handle your company and how to be mindful.”
Furthermore, he also said that he hopes to share as much knowledge as he can with his fellow Pakistani Entrepreneurs to help them become a part of Blackbox’s future cohorts,
“I believe that nascent entrepreneurial community of Pakistan can learn a lot from Silicon Valley and some of our startups will make a mark globally in the coming years for sure!”
Google for Entrepreneurs Partnership
Other startups at the Blackbox Connect’s 23rdcohort include: NomNom Insights, from the United Kingdon, B.B.X.X., from Chile; Erxes, Mongolia; Genivity and Wedfuly, from the USA; HannySoft, from South Korea; MisPichos.com, from Argentina; Entrenarme and Zapiens.ai, from Spain; Poites, from France; Wai, from Ireland; Kulina, from Indonesia; and Qempo, from Peru.
All the startups are recipient of the Google for Entrepreneurs Scholarship that provided an all expense paid trip to Blackbox Connect and were nominated by Google for Entrepreneurs Partner Network. Speaking on the partnership with Blackbox Connect, Nicole Froker, Partner Engagement Manager with Google for Entrepreneurs said,
“Strong leadership is essential to the success of any startup. We’re incredibly proud to partner with Blackbox Connect and provide scholarships to founders in our network, allowing them to enter a creative space where they can reshape their view on how to lead their startups.”
