Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
NSU Startup Studio developed a board game "Startup Race", which simulates the actions of a startup in a real market. The game includes all stages of a startup's life – from developing an idea to exiting the project. It allows you to show students and anyone interested in and planning to engage in entrepreneurship in a simple form what awaits them in the market. The game is implemented in a rare genre of "strategic puzzle", at the moment there are no analogues on the market. In the near future, a boxed version of the game will appear, which will be available for pre-order. Anyone can buy it.
The game is structured as follows: participants roll dice in accordance with the stage of the startup's life, which is announced in advance by the game host. They draw cards from the deck, presented as Tetris figures. The figures build a line, which, in essence, reflects the entire life cycle of the project. Cards or figures are opportunities (for example, fundraising) or risks.
The first stage of startup development is the idea, when the project is just emerging. It is the easiest for players, since at the very beginning, participants have the most cards and it is easiest to lay the foundation for further development of the project. The next stage is MVP (Minimum Viable Product), that is, the creation of a minimum viable product. At this stage, some obstacles to the development of the project appear, for example, the idea has not come true or the participant cannot achieve certain technical indicators. The number of figures decreases.
The next stage is Product-Market Fit (PMF), i.e. checking the product's compliance with the market. At this stage, players develop a concept taking into account the real market situation, a marketing plan, and the project gets its first real clients. At the same time, risks arise that can destroy the project.
Next comes the scaling stage, when the project can already attract fundraising funds, which is also reflected in the game. Fundraising funds are special cards that provide a significant boost to the further development of the project. The last stage is exiting the project, which is associated with the greatest risks for the creator. Investments can also be attracted at this stage, but the opportunities for scaling are limited. This is one of the longest stages for the project and its founder. Possible exit strategies include selling the business, shares, public offering of shares (IPO), etc.
— A player can develop several projects simultaneously and build different strategies on several markets — tracks. It is very important that your main project, on which you place a high bet, has repeating figures. There are risks — these are cards that can remove one of the figures within the entire chain, which can lead to the collapse of the project. There are specialized cards — fundraising, which, on the contrary, give you additional opportunities. In terms of Tetris, these are the most “favorable” figures — for example, a long straight line. You can simultaneously invest in several projects or develop only one, but in any case, your task is to successfully develop the project, go through all the stages and bring the startup to the final stage as quickly as possible, — explained Konstantin Kravtsov, an employee of the NSU Startup Studio.
The game simulates market competition, so within its framework you can hinder or, conversely, help your rivals. Also here are such mandatory elements of entrepreneurial activity as risk assessment and diversification, choice of development strategy – conservative or risky. Thus, the game in a simplified mechanical form simulates the actions of a person who develops his startup on the market.
The game is designed for different groups of people, including those who are not very knowledgeable about the startup market; children also actively play it.
— The Startup Race is not just entertainment, but a tool for involving the general public in entrepreneurship. It helps to understand that a startup is not just a “cafe”, but an innovative, fast-growing business that scales. The NSU Startup Studio team plans to replicate the game. At first, it will be packaged in a boxed version, and then it will be available for pre-order. The possibility of creating an elite version of the game, which can be used as representative gifts, is also being considered, — emphasized Alexey Starostin, a representative of the NSU Startup Studio.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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