The Big Start Launches Season 4 For Budding Student Entrepreneurs Dreaming Of Taking Off Big
With the proven success of its past three seasons as well as the winners’ success stories who jumpstarted towards their dreams, The Big Start student entrepreneur competition, is launching the competition’s fourth season. The Big Start’s main aim is to provide a spring broad for young entrepreneurs aspiring to launch their own businesses. Since its conception back in 2009 the competition has rooted itself as being one of its kind in the region by providing an opportunity to graduate and postgraduate students to transform their business ideas into reality.
With a new season comes a new fruition to the competition. The Big Start will buy entrepreneurs and their success stories even closer to the competition participants. Part of the competition’s success derives from a formula that has enabled the transformation of ideas into workable businesses, supported by personalized workshops, one-on-one sessions, lecture series and programs that this year will empower a fantastic interaction opportunity to be mentored by high profile entrepreneurs, industry consultants and CEOs.
The annual competition run by Al Tamimi Investments (ATI), gives UAE-based final year graduates and post-graduate university/college students, which are under 30 years of age a chance to become CEO of their own business supported with full funding and operational support for their idea. Interested aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to submit their application online at www.thebigstart.ae. The registration for this season we will be open on 17th February, 2013 and close on 31st March, 2013. ATI will select Round 1 Student entries to progress to the second round of the competition where students will be mentored individually to develop their business ideas into workable business plans.
Season 3 of the competition witnessed great accomplishments with doubled submission figures from Season 2 as well as exponential media recognition. “The goal for this season is geared towards intensifying idea submissions as well as interactions with the entrepreneur community. The duration of the competition will also be shortened with the final winner being announced early July. Additionally, quality of submissions will be improved an evolved advisory component that will bring high profile industry mentors closer to the participants. Having said that, though there’s only one winner every season, I would like to highlight that everyone participating is a winner, leaving with invaluable advice and knowledge” said Rachael Wunsch, CEO of ATI.
The Big Start was launched in 2009 and forms the core CSR activity for ATI. Focused on fostering the next generation of entrepreneurial talent in the UAE, the competition is the only one of its kind in the country to actively guide, mentor and facilitate the development of each entrant’s business plan, and to support the winner’s idea, both operationally and financially to make it a reality.
The Big Start is an invaluable experience and opportunity for young aspiring entrepreneurs and the result can be life changing, as is the case with Season 2 winner - Stefanie Ost, a graduate from Middlesex University. In 2012 Stefanie successfully launched her business SO Famous (www.so-famous.com), a professional modeling agency and academy offering as well image consultations, makeovers and etiquette/corporate training courses. SO Famous partnered with Wilhelmina Models USA, one of the leading modeling agencies in the world, bringing fresh talents to the region and contributing to the increase of standards of the industry. “After months of hard work, careful strategic planning, and endless dedication towards the idea, it’s resulted in a very rewarding feeling of accomplishment. Today we are fully operational and offer models, modeling courses, photo shoots, makeovers, etiquette courses etc. I look forward to continuing this journey and grow the business to become the leading address for models and modeling, beauty, image and etiquette services in the UAE” said Stefanie Ost, CEO, SO Famous.
The Big Start’s Season 3 winner, Aditi Sen, graduated from SP Jain School of Global Management is in the initial stages of setting up her business in conjunction with ATI. Her business concept is to provide animal-assisted therapy for ill patients, as well as providing educational interaction with children. She explains her idea behind PetLove as “An idea to work with animals for human wellness and spreading love and affection for enhancing quality of lives of people in Dubai. I would like PetLove to contribute to harmonious community living and a long term sustainable growth of Dubai and UAE and winning the Big Start competition has been giving me that opportunity.”
The Big Start’s Inaugural winner Yahya Stapic, graduated from American University of Sharjah, opened his fashion incubator concept store United Designers (www.uniteddesigners.ae) in Mirdif City Centre in October 2011. Since then it has established itself as a platform for both local and international designers to showcase their designs.
Final year postgraduate and undergraduate students from any UAE university, aged 30 years or younger, qualify to participate in The Big Start Season 4. All academic disciplines are encouraged to submit their ideas at www.thebigstart.ae by 31st March, 2013 to stand a chance to win full funding and support in making their business idea a reality.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Feb 28, 2013
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