With all the excitement about Yuri Milner’s extraordinary move to invest $150,000 in convertible loans to each Y-Combinator winner in the US, it would be easy to forget that the Russian entrepeneurial ecosystem is only just emerging. We were privelidged to play host to five companies that came over to the UK last week with the Russian Venture Company to meet entrepreneurs, investors, advisers and companies who might be able to help them develop their businesses in the UK. We also put them through a mini-Springboard for two days courtesy of Jon Bradford.
Thanks to everyone involved in hosting, meeting, mentoring, tutoring, listening and advising. It was great to see so many people from the UK get involved and we were delighted to hear that so many of the investors and advisers that did get involved ended up with tangible opportunities as a result.
We ran a competition over the week for the clumsiest Russian to English translation. Our two favourites were:
- Some small present back – bribe.
- Low cost peoples – the working class.
For a sense of what the Russian entrepreneurs thought of the week, and of the UK in general, check out Evgeny Kozlov’s Twitter stream. Evgeny was one of the entrepreneurs on the trip and runs a biotechnology business, a mobile phone business and a social media business. He has over 80,000 Twitter followers that received his stream of Tweets back to Moscow and beyond. I ran the stream through Tweetdeck translate.
I put some of the Tweets I like best in bold.
Evgeniy Kozlov on Twitter. Follow Evgeny on Twitter.
Evgeny Kozlov
- Night London is beautiful, yes http://twitpic.com/3ut84f
- It is useless to talk about high moral character of the collective person who has access to the ravine proxy.
- An interesting model of motorcycle on the street in the cityhttp://twitpic.com/3usdhc
- I just ousted @ ryanlsnider AS the mayor of Crowne Plaza Hotel on @ Foursquare ! http://4sq.com/9aEaE6
- I just ousted Dave A. AS the mayor of Cambridge Judge Business School on @ Foursquare ! http://4sq.com/9Uahiq
- I just ousted Deryck C. AS the mayor of Cambridge University Engineering Department on @ Foursquare ! http://4sq.com/buQVRu
- The old Russian way with a hidden transfer of five pounds of worked!
- At the entrance to the club mordovoroty require a student ID, so students are not infiltrated. I have no students! What should I do??
- The same huge queue at ATMs on the street! Yes, students here know how to have fun!
- Turn into a nightclub. 150 people maybe. That’s azhzhiotazh!http://twitpic.com/3unuk1
- That’s now a pub http://twitpic.com/3unsgd
- It is interesting that on the phone on bicycle is forbidden to speak, and drunk, like, you can manage. Beware of students in Cambridge!)
- In England, the girls pay for themselves in the bar. You can even get in your eye if you do not take money from them. Just witnessed.
- More difficult English can only be drunk English
- Next to me at the bar is a guy in a suit chicken. It seems this is some sort of punishment of a student at a local college …
- How, how, how well that in the pubs of the UK smoking! # nosmoking
- Drink with college students today, a pub with karaoke)
- @ private_visit everything China is doing;)
- @ DIDENOK not at all; (
- Britons in the bulk do not speak on any foreign language, so they are easy to identify
- Right in the heart of London, discovered the beautiful ducks. The truth is something wrong with them … http://twitpic.com/3umql3
- @ dmitryshishkin success to you with the repair and thanks for your company today!
- The most famous clock in the world http://twitpic.com/3umf06
- Welcome! RT @ yaponyal : @ ekozlov already tired of their tweets from London. Everything there is incredibly want to go.
- I have 3 years to Twitter from January 30, 2008!http://twbirthday.com/ekozlov/
- In Trafalgar Square beat fontanchki http://twitpic.com/3ulukl
- Souvenir is all the small stuff, you never would not have bought in their country
- I’m going to train, and behind the London hipsters! Not like ours!
- One foot here and one foot there! In different hemispheres of the planet http://twitpic.com/3ul781
- Grinchvich interesting place. Recommend a visit here the Royal Observatory and Prime Meridian.
- Drink a pint Zerodegrees. They say here loves zahazhivat @merkurov and nip beers
- Amazing place in Greenwich http://twitpic.com/3ujqmd
- Hooray! RT @ dmitryshishkin : Eugene @ ekozlov on the zero meridian in Greenwich http://twitpic.com/3ujqmd
- It is pleasant to drink tea and admire the view outside the window sohttp://twitpic.com/3uhusq
- Over the Thames today grimly http://twitpic.com/3uhtrg
- In London, there is no framework in public places, but security is very high
- Putting frames in train stations and airports – so as to treat cancer in the last stage
- RT @ MarinaKruglova : On @ blogruneta2011 I’m voting for Eugene @ ekozlov ! 2011.blogruneta.ru/proj_info/322 /
- Somewhere here I have http://twitpic.com/3uhgzq
- Food in high-speed train to London. Internet catches even in countless tunnels along the route, so well done!
- RT @ NiKNorbert : On @ blogruneta2011 I’m voting for Eugene @ekozlov ! 2011.blogruneta.ru/proj_info/322 /
- RT @ dzisna : On @ blogruneta2011 I’m voting for Eugene @ekozlov ! 2011.blogruneta.ru/proj_info/322 /
- Take this opportunity to convey to you greetings!http://twitpic.com/3uge0n
- What to do in London? Where to go and what exactly to go?
- RT @ anovergy : On @ blogruneta2011 I’m voting for Eugene @ekozlov ! http://bit.ly/i7wRk7
- RT @ iramedvedeva : On @ blogruneta2011 I’m voting for Eugene @ ekozlov ! http://bit.ly/i7wRk7
- RT @ tsarevna_tatata : On @ blogruneta2011 I’m voting for Eugene @ ekozlov ! http://bit.ly/i7wRk7
- A week in Cambridge, in this small town has become accustomed to the fact that all nearby – shops, college, pubs, supermarkets, markets. Wow!
- Weekend in Cambridge. So nice! Take a break from work and go to London to meet with @ dmitryshishkin – here today, so plan
- RT @ nebyan : On @ blogruneta2011 I’m voting for Eugene @ekozlov ! 2011.blogruneta.ru/proj_info/322 /
- In boxing there are two new rules: aid room and call a friend.
- Interesting article – People fleeing from Russia, tired of years of “get up off its knees” – http://bit.ly/hBxTVv
- This is a wonderful videos will make you laugh with Druzyaka -http://youtu.be/Lll-6TLSPeU
- Arrived in the evening in Tesco. See What’s on and buy fruit.
- Holding a book in 1715 production. Felt the whole storyhttp://twitpic.com/3u925a
- You can play Quidditch in this field! http://twitpic.com/3u7eyy
- In college, only students are allowed to walk on the lawns.http://twitpic.com/3u7476
- Santa Claus! RT @ dedmorozzz : @ ekozlov Eugene, but whom would you vote in the contest Sochi Olympics mascot?
- A pack of cigarettes in England is 330 rubles! # nosmokinghttp://twitpic.com/3u5xyd
- Open the Russian equivalent for frank! RT @ mashadrokova : I want a new tweeter. and write in it all sorts of candor
- The tradition in England, every Friday all businessmen having lunch at a pub, chatting and drinking http://twitpic.com/3u5kj5
- Do not forget to vote in the award GOD RuNet-2011 in the category National mikrobloger year – http://bit.ly/eoCrDL
- Vote for one another in the competition if not difficulthttp://bit.ly/fXn9Yt – Manovich Pavel – CEO Marva
- Here are the most useful thing that I took with me. Very convenienthttp://twitpic.com/3u4zbi
- Doctor of Psychology: sotsseti not addictive http://bit.ly/hwzFaS
- @ ekozlov in the U.S. is almost non-smokers. Then things after a bar-restaurant – does not smell. nosmoking #
- In two of the most docile circus bear died from diabetes.
- I just Became the mayor of Royal Cambridge Hotel on @Foursquare ! http://4sq.com/aWHdnK
- Schedule a modest reception at Christie’s college for our dear guests http://twitpic.com/3tyq0r
- Dining room is on its place there is already longer than the U.S.. An amazing place.
- Putin told the anecdote about the spy – http://bit.ly/hUMigE
- Dinner guests of Christi college. Terrific place! http://twitpic.com/3tyhv7
- yes yes yes
- Today a lot of time doing a presentation on their project for the entire brigade of British investors in Cambridge
- Skype for MAC OS X support group video calls within the service package Premium. That’s just the premium paid.
- Skype for Mac is a paid
- Matvienko asks Putin to deprive Petersburg status of historical settlement. All agree?
- RT @ yuliana_777 : In competition BLOG RuNet 2011 voted in different categories for @ ekozlov and @ Varlamov , want to win (cont) http://tl.gd/8dvd8b
- Just ended a very important meeting. Never ceases to amaze decency of British investors.
- @ Zakharyan here I am about the same
- Not me! RT @ NOleksyuk : RT @ vesti_news : With the Russians accused of raping a girl in London http://vesti.ru/t?423580 @ ekozlov?! )))
- All the week I was in Cambridge, students are drinking and having fun in the evenings until late. It was unclear when they learn to do …
- Selling an apartment in Moscow or changed on the urban village in the Kurgan region.
- The most surprising aspect of Medvedev speech in Davos, all consider the demonstration by Russian President iPad and declaration of love for Twitter
- On Saturday morning I’ll go for the whole day in London. I want to go on a visit to Sherlock Holmes, but I forgot the address, although he remembered his childhood for some reason …
- @ tina_kandelaki city, food, and Ramzan Kadyrov!
- Morning blog Tema Lebedev is still not open, but the operator of 3 offers a “Gay XXX Videos” and pay for access to this content
- Tell me, if all is normal with the theme of Lebedev? I try to open his blog, but telecom operator said that there nekulturschina and a block page
- The company has developed a receiver STMicroelectronics Teseo II, capable of receiving signals of GPS / GLONASS / GALILEO / QZSS for $ 6
- The company Advanced RISC Machines (ARM) was born in Cambridge. Now it is a multibillion-dollar business of licensing ARM processor architecture
- Acquainted with the great man Hermann Hauser. He is the creator of the ARM architecture processors, which are now used in 90% of mobile
- Good birds in the apple store http://twitpic.com/3to7kb
- And then I saw that’s what … What to bring? http://twitpic.com/3tnvrp
- Academic degrees in Russia: Bachelor – highway – PhD – Professor – nerdy 🙂
- @ Turtseva no, I can not be as @ korobkov
- @ Milana_Gorskaya not seen)
- Pomery jeans in the store. Were narrow. For some reason, felt himself as Antonchik @ korobkov Greetings from Cambridge!
- @ nericapelli exactly! )
- @ hellt_ru probably
- @ MarkLittlewood Mark, That’s That I Should Buy next)
- @ mashadrokova forests are extinguished, and Masha is on fire!
- Shop with shirts will not leave indifferent http://twitpic.com/3tmftn
- Lecture at the Auditorium of Technology’s College, Cambridgehttp://twitpic.com/3tihg6
- Hold shares of silence in Twitter is absolutely useless
- Breakfast with nice view outside the window http://twitpic.com/3ti3o8
- What is a midlife crisis? This is when your next boss younger than you.
- In Egypt, closed access to Twitter http://bit.ly/i5fyNv
- From today # Twitter is blocked in Egypt. Select new route for rest!
- Chew the freshest cherries. At the supermarket, two packets of sweet cherries are 3 pounds. Delicious!
- That is so funny look now youth on the streethttp://twitpic.com/3te7bs
- Strange holiday today in Cambridge – the youth on the street in the towel after a bath. Who knows what it is?
- 9 pm, and I have not had dinner. Terribly exciting!
- RT @ Lassska : http://2011.blogruneta.ru/vote voted @ ekozlov and Svitteromaniyu. And you recommend:)
- After the presentation of our start-up gave useful book http://twitpic.com/3tbs7j
- Yet the investigation into incident at Domodedovo is, I want to know what all can push ordinary people to samopodryv? Any ideas?
- @ ghbetbeze Haa)) Could this be a Good idea!
- My new mobile: +44 74 12 497452
- @ Rykov is great!
- @ Rykov was involved, Kostya! )
- Hey Guys, Please Meet @ MarkLittlewood He is great in Startups Entrepreneurs Support in Cambridge! # BLNRVC
- Heshteg chosen for tweets from the event # BLNRVC – Business Leaders Network Russian Venture Company
- @ MarkLittlewood Yep, Mark)
- That’s right! RT @ korobkov : Man, when wearing a fur coat – like a pimp.
- Very interesting things to discuss in class today. Today sharpen Elevator pitch. Meeting with investors on Thursday.
- Youtube generation listens to 90 seconds. If interested – look, if not – Song for saying good
- Rule of 3T in innovations – Technology, Team, Traction
- Head of the firm Misrosoft Bill Gates delivered a speech devoted to the fight against spam. It will be sent to all users of Windows.
- Mourning morning.
- Explosion at Domodedovo http://gltw.ru/fv via @ glavtwit
- @ taviscaron not do to you than anything useful?
- @ taviscaron @ ru_mata I do not know anything, photo found in the FB
- @ virusov why?
- It is encouraging that people in Moscow were able to organize so quickly through sotsseti and help their fellow citizens in troublehttp://twitpic.com/3t3jc8
- @ Turtseva @ dryab @ BezlepkinaE of course! support the need to give!
- He went into the great hall. It turned out here people singing psalms.This is a Catholic college. http://twitpic.com/3t2rno
- It’s very dark, but this is the usual dining in Cambridgehttp://twitpic.com/3t2owj
- Absolutely happened to be in the mess hall where they filmed Harry Potter
- Regret, and courage to all the families who suffered under terrorist attack at Domodedovo airport
- RT @ Vasya_Volume : Show @ ekozlov in Russia 24
- Quite clear where people would quickly write about the tragedies if it were not for Twitter
- I meanwhile continued Elevator pitch …
- Cambridge vengeance discuss the sad news from Moscowhttp://twitpic.com/3t0zee
- Small Orientation meeting in the cafeteria, plans for the dayhttp://twitpic.com/3t0mzc
- Bomb blast in Moscow, Domodedovo airport. 20 people killed: (
- RT @ tsyplukhin : The Russian Yuri Milner became the “Investor of the Year” according to TechCrunch http://vk.cc/cDlSb
- Prosecution Chichvarkin terminated http://bit.ly/ec065d
- @ MihMak @ kiserob greetings to you from England!
- A list of nominees for the award “Best blog / microblog Runet 2011”:http://gltw.ru/fi # blogruneta
- The laser can be connected to the laptop and run, cool same?http://twitpic.com/3sz3sm
- The funny thing is that the laser Russian design. Worth about 80,000 euros.
- The laser operates from the usual outlets! I’m shocked!
- I see a laser that can make a hole in anything at a distance of 10 km!
- All laser technology in Cambridge launched our countrymen!Starting with a $ 10 million brought the technology up to 2.5 billion!
- Tour of the laser lab
- How to access the network? http://twitpic.com/3sych0
- Well, everything was! http://twitpic.com/3sxy6z
- At Cambridge, many churches and cathedrals, it seems that there are learning and praying to pass the exam
- The main thing in the morning a good breakfast, that knowledge is better absorbed … http://twitpic.com/3sxp0s
- The first record of Russian Twitter in 2011 – more than 1000 RThttp://bit.ly/fPFDAM http://twitpic.com/3sxbkj
- City of Cambridge was founded in 1 st century AD. Population – about 100,000 people. This is the heart of the British high tech.
- In England banned smoking in all pubs and nightclubs since 2007.First there was a lot of unhappy, but now everyone is happy! # nosmoking
- At the moment, almost a thousand people made the RT of the tweet – http://bit.ly/fPFDAM first record Russian Twitter in 2011! # nosmoking
- I knew that the topic of smoking bans popular. Thank retvitnuli this tweet – http://bit.ly/fPFDAM
- Ale, beer, all sorts of drinks …. http://twitpic.com/3ssfr5
- Noticed that in the Cambridge girls love to come up with a girlfriend in the pub, nip a mug of beer and talk heart to heart
- In the oldest pub in Cambridge. Here the first time on a napkin display the structure of DNA exchange between two scholars …
- In the UK stores is impossible not to buy anything everhttp://twitpic.com/3sr3yc
- Such zdorovskie narrow streets of Cambridge …
- I bought a SIM card with unlimited internet from 3 per month at the airport for 10 pounds. Beauty!
- If you do not smoke, make this tweet RT! Let us unite! # nosmoking
- Most would! RT @ imerkouri : When completely ban smoking in public places?
- Apple puts the sales records of applications for iPhone, iPod and iPad http://bit.ly/ggejVV
- I fly with 5 Russian startups. I’ll write a lot about private equity. Feel @ alyonapopova 😉
- Hoodwinked favorite pillow, waiting for departure in an airplane. So far, Moscow!
- The art of swearing comes with the ability to drive a car
- You know yourself, you want to save in roaming – it is better to say goodbye to relatives still in the airport operator.
- Tell me sim card of any operator to buy on arrival in England, need internet and just a little bit calls.
- In London, flies a lot of cute devulechek. I think the flight will be exciting!
- I love this kind of outside. Inspiring! http://twitpic.com/3sm1k5
- @ dolyasergey have to print)
- @ NastyMandy SVO
- Joined on the flight, but I can not print your boarding, who knows – can it get on a plane without him?
- Going to the Airport Express. People in general almost no one.
- Twitter at meetings. Yes or no? http://gltw.ru/f8 via @ glavtwit
- @ Turtseva thanks! And why are not you asleep?
- @ JuliaKiryuhina yes here too!)
- C Good morning! Wake up!