Belarusian Regime's Thugs Shut Down Imaguru, the Country's Key Startup Hub (techcrunch.com) 23
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: After visits by unnamed masked intruders and the cancellation of its lease, Imaguru -- the country's key startup hub, event and co-working space in Minsk -- has effectively been shut down by the Lukashenko regime, which has led a brutal crackdown on its own people in recent months. But the company behind the space says it will defy the authorities and continue its activities online.
Since 2013, Imaguru had become known as being the birthplace of a large number of startups from Belarus, including MSQRD, acquired by Facebook in 2017 -- as well as a landing pad for international investors visiting the country. Startups that have emerged from the space have attracted over $100 million in investments in recent years. The "Imaguru Startup HUB" leased the space from "Horizon Holding" in 2013, when it took over a dilapidated building from a state-owned company. But on April 16, 2021, Horizon told Imaguru it was unilaterally terminating its lease and the startup space has been given until April 30 to vacate. Imaguru says there has been no reason given for the lease termination, despite Horizon calling Imaguru a "flagship" leasehold for its property business.
To outside observers, it looks like Horizon has come under pressure because of Imaguru's active support of the pro-democracy protests inside the country. In early March, unidentified men wearing masks broke into the office, "blocked the exit, put young event attendees against the wall, and brought them to the police station" said the company. [...] In recent months, the startup hub came out in solidarity with the protests inside the country following last year's tainted elections, recorded videos of solidarity with PandaDoc, who's employees have been jailed, and supported the general strike on October 26, 2020. In a statement, Imaguru said it is "not silent about lawlessness, repressions and persecution against civilians who defend their rights to an honest and fair choice ... Not silent about the regime shutting down the business, investment and startup environment ... Not silent about the massive relocation of startups from Belarus, about the catastrophe of this for the country and the role of the High Tech Park in this process."
Since 2013, Imaguru had become known as being the birthplace of a large number of startups from Belarus, including MSQRD, acquired by Facebook in 2017 -- as well as a landing pad for international investors visiting the country. Startups that have emerged from the space have attracted over $100 million in investments in recent years. The "Imaguru Startup HUB" leased the space from "Horizon Holding" in 2013, when it took over a dilapidated building from a state-owned company. But on April 16, 2021, Horizon told Imaguru it was unilaterally terminating its lease and the startup space has been given until April 30 to vacate. Imaguru says there has been no reason given for the lease termination, despite Horizon calling Imaguru a "flagship" leasehold for its property business.
To outside observers, it looks like Horizon has come under pressure because of Imaguru's active support of the pro-democracy protests inside the country. In early March, unidentified men wearing masks broke into the office, "blocked the exit, put young event attendees against the wall, and brought them to the police station" said the company. [...] In recent months, the startup hub came out in solidarity with the protests inside the country following last year's tainted elections, recorded videos of solidarity with PandaDoc, who's employees have been jailed, and supported the general strike on October 26, 2020. In a statement, Imaguru said it is "not silent about lawlessness, repressions and persecution against civilians who defend their rights to an honest and fair choice ... Not silent about the regime shutting down the business, investment and startup environment ... Not silent about the massive relocation of startups from Belarus, about the catastrophe of this for the country and the role of the High Tech Park in this process."
Principles and bull-eyes. (Score:5, Insightful)
In a statement, Imaguru said it is "not silent about lawlessness, repressions and persecution against civilians who defend their rights to an honest and fair choice ... Not silent about the regime shutting down the business, investment and startup environment ... Not silent about the massive relocation of startups from Belarus, about the catastrophe of this for the country and the role of the High Tech Park in this process."
In other words being a principled entity results in...
After visits by unnamed masked intruders and the cancellation of its lease, Imaguru -- the country's key startup hub, event and co-working space in Minsk -- has effectively been shut down by the Lukashenko regime, which has led a brutal crackdown on its own people in recent months.
Nothing here should be a surprise.
Re: (Score:2)
The cognitive dissonance is strong with this bootlicker.
Belarus is broke (Score:4, Interesting)
It would seem odd that for a country that is on the verge of collapsing, Belarus would try to drive out the singular bright spot bringing money into the country. Belarus is so broke, in September of 2020 Russia had to give it a $1.5 billion emergency "loan" [themoscowtimes.com] to keep the country functioning. Then, December, Belarus went back and asked for more money [uawire.org] as well as weapons.
I'm sure Imgaru would receive a warm welcome in Ukraine which is inching closer to privatization of certain sectors of the economy and is looking to increase the flow of foreign capital into the country.
Re:Belarus is broke (Score:4, Insightful)
It would seem odd that for a country that is on the verge of collapsing, Belarus would try to drive out the singular bright spot bringing money into the country.
Authoritarians act in their own interest, not in the interest of the citizens.
Lukashenko does not benefit from a prosperous Belarus if he is no longer in power.
I'm sure Imgaru would receive a warm welcome in Ukraine
Only if they refrain from questioning the rampant corruption in the Ukrainian government.
Re:Belarus is broke (Score:5, Insightful)
It would seem odd that for a country that is on the verge of collapsing, Belarus would try to drive out the singular bright spot bringing money into the country. Belarus is so broke, in September of 2020 Russia had to give it a $1.5 billion emergency "loan" [themoscowtimes.com] to keep the country functioning. Then, December, Belarus went back and asked for more money [uawire.org] as well as weapons.
Not so odd, Lukashenko's priority is not to grow the economy or even stabilize the country, it's to stay in power and reap the benefits of that power.
A thriving tech sector does very little to boost the power of Lukashenko and his allies, or even the wealth they can extract from the economy. It does however threaten their ability to remain in power.
That they're getting shutdown is quite understandable.
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Lol, in Ukraine armed masked thugs are 1000% more likely to show up and ask for 99% of everything you own for "protection". Only they won't be from the government, private sector, though if you go after them or try to fight back you'll find out that they in fact unofficially protected by the government. Seriously though, wild west or carribean(1600-1700ish, era of piracy) offered a lot more individual protection and civilization in general than Ukraine right now.
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Were does the US Deep State Regime tie the mask guys to Lukashenko, exactly? Is this going to turn out like the Russian bounty story, the pee pee tape story, the Assange/Trump/Putin story - a giant bag of crap.
Might be time to set the hash pipe down for a bit, lad. It seems to be affecting your thinking.
At least I hope it's drugs. Because that's fixable...
Re: (Score:2)
Still waiting for Saddam's 911 master plan and WMD's to show up? At least 20 years ago, Cheney went through all the trouble of faking evidence to support bullshit CIA claims. I wonder if he's kicking himself these days, knowing he could have served up any evidence free bullshit sundae and guys like you would just eat it up.
With a spoon.
Re: Nyet, gozpozhin. (Score:2)
Cheney was a liar then (and I said so) and is a liar now. But I can't even call your post a red herring, it was so ineffective.
What Cheney did two decades ago has nothing to do with the fact that Lukoshenko is a filthy dictator who brutally oppresses the people he ineffectually rules, only keeping power through farcical elections. He is a fraud and a despot, and should meet the same end as Mussolini.
(And you do realise you didn't even pretend not to know what the Duma is, don't you? Porazheniye!)
Re: (Score:2)
And who told you that? The same people who lied to you about Iraq, Iran, Libya, Russia, Ukraine...
Slurp, slurp...
Re: (Score:2)
And who told you that? The same people who lied to you about Iraq, Iran, Libya, Russia, Ukraine...
That's quite a statement there. Are you presuming to know where I get my information? Because I guarantee that you don't.
I am quite certain that my Belorussian friends have never mentioned Iraq, Iran, or Libya to me, much less lied about them. But they have told me stories about Lukoshenko.
Give it up, moi drug (bloody fuck, slashdot, no Cyrillic at all, really?!). I'm not a consumer of popular lies, and no one is believing your daft, pro-Russia bullshit.
Lukoshenko is a dictator. He is a terrible, evil human
Re: (Score:2)
"my Belorussian friends" - insert laugh emoji here. You can find any number of shitbags and opportunists from any country. Like the wealthy Iraq expats who were happy to tell Bush that yes, definitely, Saddam planned 911 and was about to have nuclear weapons. Or wealthy Venezuelans who have mansions in Miami, who will be happy to tell you t
Re: (Score:2)
Again with the assumptions!
I can assure you that none of my Belorussian friends are wealthy, or in contact with the the US government.
These are conversations one would have over tea, were it not COVID. There's no agenda here, only friends catching up.
And rather than trying to compare my friends to wealthy, politically-motivated people, why aren't you trying to convince me with facts and figures about Lukoshenko? You could at least be trying to give me something concrete that proves he's something other than
Yes. (Score:2)
Propaganda, maybe?
Yes, that is quite some propaganda you're spouting there.
To believe in stories like this one must already have decided that the authorities in Belarus are beyond redemption
Lukashenko is a dictator, and is most assuredly beyond redemption. The election results were a sick joke, and the crushing reprisals against the Belorussian people who are protesting against the decimation of their democratic rights are a certain sign that revolution is necessary in Belarus soon if Lukashenko doesn't step down. He's maintained power through corruption and murder for nearly 30 years. It's time for him to go.
I'm curious. Can you see the