Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Grant Program For Entrepreneurs!

Here is a quite bold grant competition program that is seeking entrepreneurs who have ideas to help solve the problems of the world!

The goal of this funding competition is to promote the creation of sustainable new business ventures that combine financial returns with social and environmental benefits. These can include new products and services, operational processes and business models.

The competition encourages ground breaking innovation and problem solving – challenging entrepreneurs from across the world to make a real difference through developing new markets and making a sustainable profit.

This funding opportunity is an open funding competition. They are looking for the best business ideas from across the world!

Entries will be accepted from individuals, teams, new companies, existing companies creating spin-offs, students, scientists, academics and entrepreneurs.

Regional, national and international participation is encouraged.

Business ideas can be based on a new product, a service, operational process or business model.


To be considered eligible for this competition, all entries must:

  • Be innovative

  • Be a commercial, for-profit venture

  • Address one of the major points of the organization itself

  • Not have received more than $100K in funding by the submission deadline

  • Demonstrate a positive social and/or environmental impact as well as an economic return


If you are not sure whether or not your business idea meets the above criteria, the sponsors of this funding program are happy to discuss your particular case. You can visit their website for more details and contact information.

All entrants will be required to submit a 5-page executive summary of their business idea. Up to five additional pages will be allowed for relevant exhibits and appendices e.g. team CVs, financial reports, letters from potential customers.


All entries must use 10-point or larger font and be submitted as a single Word or PDF attachment. This should be no more than 2MB in size.


Entries will only be accepted via the 4-step registration process accessed via the 'Submit your idea' page of our website.


Executive Summary Guidelines


All executive summaries should contain the following information and headings:

Team Name
Opening Statement
The Idea & Unique Selling Point (USP)
The Market Opportunity
The Management Team
The Financial Plan
The Environmental and Social Benefits

To download detailed guidance on the Executive Summary please click the link that is provided on the website. (This download is in .pdf format)

All teams must have one designated team leader. The team leader will be the main point of contact for the competition organizers and will take responsibility for coordinating with each team members.


All work submitted must be the original work of the members of the team which they are free to disclose. Teams will not be able to submit the same proposal in to more than one category, though contestants can be members of more than one team.

Entrants need not have registered a company at the time of entry to the competition but will be required to do so in order to receive cash prizes.

Financial assistance will be offered to all competition finalists. For international entrants this will cover travel and accomodation costs. For UK entrants financial assistance will cover accomodations costs on the reqired dates only.

All entries must be submitted via website!

If you have a question or query about a plan that you have already submitted, please contact the competition organizers via email.


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