The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge

Got a great business idea or concept? If you’re 16-25 and have a fresh and innovative technology led idea for a business, or have started one already - then we want to hear from you! Our competition seeks the best young minds from across Europe, young people with vision, social awareness and the ambition to achieve.

Our Grand Prize Winner will receive a £10,000 / €11,000* grant, a mentorship package and pro-bono support to accelerate their business idea or start-up. It’s the opportunity to make your mark, get noticed and put your ideas into action.

 

The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge brought to you by Verizon Business and Unloc is an annual event that seeks to find cutting edge young talent across Europe. 

All shortlisted finalists will also receive the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge Masterclass Support Programme. An assigned enterprise support mentor who will create a 1-2-1 support plan focusing on your key priorities. These could be addressing knowledge gaps, or being matched with services. You will also receive a series of masterclasses across the next year on a range of topics and with a variety of industry expert speakers.

REQUIREMENTS:

-Individuals between the ages of 16 and 25 years on the 1st February 2023

-Residents and/or citizens of a mainland European country

-Business proposals must meet the following criteria:

• Be legal in all mainland European countries
• Be either a pre-start (not yet trading); or not have been trading for more than 3 years and have an annual turnover
  of less than £100,000 on 1st February 2023
• Not have the purpose of political lobbying
• Be the applicant’s own idea and not infringe on the copyright, patent or intellectual property of others
• Immediate family members of the judging panel are not eligible to apply
• Previous entrants who attended the Grand Final are not eligible to apply

APPLICATION:

• Simply record a short video of yourself that’s at least 60 seconds and a maximum of 90 seconds long - remember to explain how your idea meets the three criteria!
• Hit the apply button
• Fill out the application form and submit your video
• Sit tight and wait to hear from the judges: finalists are announced in early February 2023

Applications will be judged on three key factors:

• Viability
• Tech innovation
• Sustainability

PRIZE:

• £10,000/€11,000* of funding for your start-up business
• A mentorship package to accelerate your idea
• Finalist runners-up will receive £1,000 of funding for your start-up business
• Ticket to the Global One Young World 2023 Belfast Summit in Ireland

DEADLINE: 20th January

MORE INFORMATION AND APPLICATION