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On Dec 19th 2012, Medesk Project won Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO’s Investors Day startup competition. Vladimir Kovalsky, SKOLKOVO Start-up Academy student and Founder of Medesk, was selected as the winner from 13 contenders. The start-ups represented a wide range of industries including Food & Beverage, Finance, Social Media, Education, Tourism, Infrastructure and IT.
Investors Day Format: During the Investors day, each project was given 2 minutes to provide an overview of the project, followed by another five minutes for Q&A. The winner was selected based on the commercial viability of the project and the performance in the presentation.
For 2012 Investor Day, the jury consisted of eminent Investors, Entrepreneurs and Business Angels that included Vitaly Polekhin: Head of the SKOLKOVO business school Investors Club, Andrei Vakulenko: Director at Sberbank CIB Venture Fund, Kirill Veselov: Director at Mint Capital Investment , Dmitry Agarunov: CEO at Gameland, Kendrick White: Managing Principal at Marchmont Capital Partners , Lyubov Simonova: Pre-partner at Almaz Capital Partners, Nikolay Dmitriev,:Investment Director at Prostor Capital, Dmitry Bergelson: Vice-President at Nanoprom, Yuri Rabinovich: CEO at StartupMonthly, and Alexander Antonyuk: Vice-President at Foresight Capital Partners .
F1GMAT: Why did you choose SKOLKOVO MBA?
Arjun Nair: It is a school with a strong focus on entrepreneurship and at the same time, the learning by doing approach gives you the opportunity to understand how businesses in different geographies (India, China, US and Russia) work.
You gain a first-hand knowledge on the business processes that define the company's daily operations, and get a chance to work on improving a particular processes or developing new strategic initiatives, etc. depending on the scope of work defined by the client.
It is the program structure that really got me interested in the program. Find out what Arjun has to say about the program.
The word ‘Experiential’ has been used loosely and out of context in many MBA programs. Even a two day consulting workshop is considered experiential. But SKOLKOVO MBA Program has designed the curriculum taking into consideration the learning opportunities available in International Markets.
Module [1] - Corporate project in China
Module [2] - Corporate / Public sector project in Russia
Module [3] - Corporate project in USA
Module [4] - Start-up project based in Russia
Module [5] - Corporate project in India
5 Projects 4 Countries
F1GMAT: SKOLKOVO MBA has put emphasis on Experiential Learning. What is the uniqueness of the learning methodology adopted in SKOLKOVO MBA programme? 
(Skolkovo MBA): I would like to explain what experiential learning in SKOLKOVO means. Instead of the traditional schools’ approach, where the emphasis is on theory over practice, at SKOLKOVO the majority of students’ time will be spent on learning by doing real work projects, which are run in four countries. We want our students to be educated by their own experiences. Our education philosophy combines first-hand experience with relevant academic studies. SKOLKOVO MBA students work on 5 real projects during the 12-month course for companies in China, Russia, the US and India. Therefore, they learn how to work in real working environment and are brought into the realities of local business culture.
That is why we consider SKOLKOVO MBA programme is for those who choose:
- Real projects instead of Business Cases
- Worldwide experience in 4 countries instead of one-dimensional experience
- BRIC countries and Entrepreneurial Experience
The latter is possibly the most important factor for consideration.
F1GMAT: SKOLKOVO MBA is known for developing entrepreneur leaders. Do you think an MBA is required to be an entrepreneur? How does SKOLKOVO MBA encourage entrepreneurs?
Anna Shay: To me entrepreneurs are self-confident, untamed, idealists, which are the people that Skolkovo attracts. However they need Skolkovo as much as Skolkovo needs them. Despite the innate qualities, which are much needed there has to also be a sound platform of skills and knowledge. Skolkovo attract world leading faculty to equip the students with the needed skill set, top advisors and experts are there for the students during the projects.
Anna Nekrasova(SKOLKOVO MBA): Well, we are frequently asked about accreditation and the school’s rankings. SKOLKOVO is a young vibrant institution and we really proclaim to be different. Indeed, we are! We have an ambitious MBA programme, whose primary goal is to get over 30% entrepreneurs among its graduates. We built a fantastic campus and have around 50% foreign students in the MBA cohort.
If you look at the latest SKOLKOVO MBA Class Profile, you will realize how we have maintained class diversity in nationality and pre-MBA experience.
SKOLKOVO MBA Nationality
Skolkovo Pre-MBA Experience
Anna on Qualities of SKOLKOVO MBA Candidates
Firstly, SKOLKOVO MBA applicant should be an ambitious and outstanding entrepreneurial leader. What do we mean by that? Our mission is to help successful people becoming more successful. We admit those who have a proven track record of success – either in commercial, public sector or entrepreneurial projects. We are different and we are looking for those who can make a difference. That is why we are far more interested in candidate’s potential and soft skills rather than test scores. SKOLKOVO is about personalities. We are looking for bright personalities and evaluate them on a case by case basis. We help them achieve more.
If it goes for formal criteria, here are our MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
1) At least 2-3 years of managerial experience
2) University degree (minimum Bachelors) or equivalent professional qualification
3) Fluent in English
ESSENTIAL QUALITIES
1) Entrepreneurial spirit
2) Strive for reaching challenging objectives
3) Ability to find approach to different types of people (including cross cultural interaction) and build mutually beneficial relationship
4) Ability to think creatively and develop new business ideas
5) Ability and willingness to constantly seek new knowledge and ideas, readiness to integrate those ideas into both thinking and behaviour
Anna Nekrasova(SKOLKOVO MBA): Though SKOLKOVO MBA graduates
get their job offers all over the world (during the projects run in
China, Russia, US, India and with companies owned by SKOLKOVO founding
partners), upto 50% of SKOLKOVO MBA graduates start their own business and set a residence in SKOLKOVO Business Incubator, 40% choose the path of corporate entrepreneurship and 10% of SKOLKOVO Alumni build their career in a social or public field.
Foreign students who would like to work in Russia are provided career
development services through SKOLKOVO Career Development Office.
Anna on Networking Opportunities at SKOLKOVO MBA
Oh,
SKOLKOVO MBA is one of the greatest "Intellectual Meeting Places" I've worked. Students come from all over the world, with curiosity and hunger to learn new things.They are open minded, and above all – fun to work with
F1GMAT: How did your association with Moscow School of Management began?
Moty Cristal: I was observing closely the changes that Russian economy and management styles have been undergone. My work with some Israeli-Russian business people further attracted my attention to the potential market of negotiation training in Russia. When time was ripe, almost two years ago, a close friend, who is doing business in Russia, introduce me to SKOLKOVO through one of its client, and from the first training almost two years ago, I've strengthened my relations with the school and its clients.
New generation of entrepreneurs definitely needs business education. Business has become global and emerging markets are maturing. If you want to build a sustainable long-term enterprise, I believe, you need to know the fundamentals. 
F1GMAT: SKOLKOVO MBA is known for developing entrepreneur leaders. Do you think an MBA is required to be an entrepreneur? How does SKOLKOVO MBA encourage entrepreneurs?
I don't really know whether MBA degree guarantees you success in business. I know a lot of people who are entrepreneurs by nature and they never attended a single business class. But they are twice older than me and keep on running their businesses effectively due to experience and insight.
New generation of entrepreneurs definitely needs business education. Business has become global and emerging markets are maturing. If you want to build a sustainable long-term enterprise, I believe, you need to know the fundamentals.
F1GMAT: Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Anna Shay: When I was 8 my family moved from Moscow to Australia and at 16 I made a decision to go to university in London, where I studies Politics and Eastern European studies. Very early on, I realized that I want to go back to my home country. It wasn’t only due to the patriotic feelings, but also because I realized that I am much more needed in my country with the education and experience that I have acquired. As I moved back to Moscow I began to engage in charitable activity, aimed at increasing the quality of human capital. I’ve realized that developing and increasing the quality of human capital in Russia is something that I would want to spend my life on. I’ve always wanted to engage in processes that drive my country forward, yet right now on a global level no one knows where is “forward”, but at the same time I believe that humans are the drivers of progress, however it is measured an defined so it makes in invest in human capital.
F1GMAT: What were your motivations for joining an MBA program? Why did you choose SKOLKOVO MBA?
F1GMAT: What were your motivations for joining an MBA program? Why did you choose SKOLKOVO MBA?
F1GMAT: How should a SKOLKOVO MBA Aspirant prepare for the application and Interview? The video presentation is unique. How did you prepare for the Video Presentation?
Anna Shay: This may sound like a cliché, but at the end of the day it’s about being yourself. You may have the knowledge and a vast experience, but you must have a spark in your eyes, which is something that the founders are looking for and that spark is the breaking point. There are now even discussions in regards to using Alumni students throughout the admission process to get a second opinion and be able to distinguish that spark.
The video is definitely a unique part. I was in the last admission group so had very little time to prepare and when I saw the amazing Oscar worthy videos on YouTube I really started to freak out, but then I decided that it’s substance over form and wrote a text, which I memorized and read in front of the camera. It’s not about how you film it, but what you say, yet of course being creative helps.
Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO is a vibrant institution focused on developing entrepreneurial leaders and managers in growing economies. The school was founded by 18 Russian and foreign major companies and individuals, leaders in their sectors: oil and gas, metals, power generation, investment, banking, insurance and the retail trade. The major companies include Credit-Suisse, TNK-BP, SunGroup, Troika Dialogue, EVRAZ, Severstal, to name a few while some of the notable private investors include Roman Abramovich , Ruben Vardanyan and many other renowned Business leaders from BRIC countries.
SKOLKOVO MBA Founding Companies
The founding companies have over 200 years of consolidated managerial experience on markets in both developed and developing countries (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, Finland, India, the United Kingdom and the United States - more than 10 nations in total).
SKOLKOVO MBA Teaching Methodology
Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO has announced a 40000 Euro fellowship for Women candidates joining the SKOLKOVO MBA programme in 2012-13. With the core aim to develop Businesswomen, the Women’s association in partnership with Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO is looking for ambitious Leaders/Entrepreneurs, who can bring to life new, outstanding, dynamic projects in the sphere of commercial, social or private-state entrepreneurship.
No of Scholarship(s): 1
Amount: Euro 40000
Criteria
1) Women between the age of 21-35
2) Pass the SKOLKOVO MBA entrance examinations and should be admitted to SKOLKOVO MBA 2012-13 One year program.
3) Citizens from any country can take part in the contest. There are no restrictions on nationality, region or citizenship.
4) Graduate degree
5) 2-3 year managerial experience (or experience similar to entrepreneurial activity)
6) Good Knowledge of English
7) All Necessary documents - An Application form, Recommendation and Video Presentation(For Details CLICK HERE)