A CHANCE TO COMPETE GLOBALLY! 

SUBMIT YOUR “STARTUP MOMENT” BY SEPTEMBER 15!!!!

Last year, a team from North Carolina made it to the GEW top 50 – from NC State! Isn’t it time for a UNC team to win this year?Startup Open

….a featured event of Global Entrepreneurship Week, is a global competition to identify and recognize startup companies founded between GEW 2012 and GEW 2013. It is open to any entrepreneurs who have just started, or are about to start, a new venture and have a “startup moment” between November 18, 2012, and November 24, 2013.

What is a startup moment? A startup moment can be when a business is incorporated; doors open for business; a first sale is completed; outside funding is secured; or something else that can be interpreted as the company is “open for business.”

Startup Open will announce and recognize the global ‘GEW 50’ – 50 of the most promising ventures from around the world, which will be selected by a range of criteria including strength of concept, growth projections, and knowledge of the market. Those 50 startups will then compete for a handful of prizes with the winners announced during Global Entrepreneurship Week, November 18-24, 2013.

Applicants will have until September 15 to submit their startup.

On October 15, the GEW 50 will be announced. 

APPLICATIONS:

• Applications will be accepted until September 15, 2013.
• Applications will only be accepted online through the iStart platform or through an officially approved National Competition.
• It is not required that a startup be incorporated, but a startup cannot be incorporated over 18 months to compete.
• Those companies will have until October 18 to review the judges’ comments and tweak their applications. The final round of judges will tally their scores and announce the winners during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2013.
• JUDGING:
• The GEW 50 and the winners will be selected by a panel of judges who are looking at a range of criteria including strength of concept, growth projections, and knowledge of the market. There will be two rounds of judging. Each judge’s score is weighed equally.

TRIP ABROAD: One winner of Startup Open receives an all expenses paid trip to Moscow where they will receive VIP delegate credentials to the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in March 2014. The GEC brings together entrepreneurs, investors, global leaders and startup champions from more than 100 counties. As part of the experience, the Startup Open winner will have the opportunity to: showcase their startup on a global scale; gain valuable insight from successful and experienced entrepreneurs; hear from and meet world leaders, economists and other experts regarding programs, policies and research aimed at advancing entrepreneurship; and, experience all Moscow has to offer that makes it an emerging hub for innovation and creativity.

LIFETIME MENTORSHIP: In addition to the Grand Prize GEC Experience, top finishers of Startup Open will receive a once in a lifetime mentorship experience with established entrepreneurs including Mike Delazzer, founder of Redbox and others. These mentors will help startups build their business, make key connections in their industry and assist entrepreneurs with the knowledge they’ve gained over the years.