Creative Spark Big Idea Challenge

Win up to £3,000 in grant funding and other prizes!

ABOUT

Are you a student, graduate or young entrepreneur aged between 18 and 35? Are you a citizen of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan? Do you dream about starting your own business one day? If so, then this could be exactly the opportunity you’ve been looking for! The Big Idea Challenge video pitch competition is a key part of the British Council’s Creative Spark Higher Education Enterprise Programme and encourages you to develop an innovative new ‘startup’ and then to tell the world about it. So whatever your idea, we want to hear about how it solves real problems and could ‘wow’ customers. To be eligible you must have taken part in the Creative Spark programme as a member of one of the institutions in the list below. Please email us here info@creativespark-bigidea.uk to enquire about the competition’s eligibility rules and information about how to take part.

STAGES

STAGE 1: GET INVOLVED IN MARCH OR APRIL

You’ll need to be 18-35, a citizen of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan, to have taken part in a British Council Creative Spark activity and be a member of one of these institutions. For your chance to win amazing prizes, you’ll also need to record a 60 second video pitch, complete an application form and submit it to your university or institution in March, April or May!

STAGE 2: SHORTLISTING AND PEOPLE'S CHOICE VOTE

The teams behind the top ideas will be shortlisted for a country final judged by national panels of business experts. The teams from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan will also enter a people’s choice vote for the most popular ideas. County finalists will be announced from 20th June.

STAGE 3: INTERNATIONAL FINALS

Following national finals in July, one team per country will get the chance to become Country Champion. These winners will walk away with prizes including business mentoring to turn their idea into a reality – as well as a share of £17,000 of grant funding to get their business off the ground. The Country Champion teams will also win a spot in an exclusive remote Start-up Sprint programme, where in the end an overall Grand Champion will be chosen and awarded additional £1,000 grant money.

AWARD CATEGORIES

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

Ideas that are based on innovative uses of technology and involve the development and application of new software or hardware.

SOCIAL IMPACT

Ideas that tackle social inclusion and gender equality or target under-represented communities and the world beyond. This could be an environmental or social idea that helps those most in need.

CREATIVE

Do you have an idea for a new product, an exhibition or a way to make your cultural environment more vibrant? Perhaps you have an idea that will help creative people reach new audiences and become more successful.

ADDITIONAL AWARDS

PUBLIC VOTE

An award is made in each of the seven countries for the team that gains the largest number of public votes. One public vote winning team will be chosen as the International Public Vote Winner.

PANDEMIC RESPONSE INNOVATION

An award for ideas that address the challenges and respond to the new business and social environment resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Participating institutions

Armenia: American University of Armenia • Armenian National Engineering Laboratories • Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST) • National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA) • Simonian Educational Foundation (TUMO) • State Academy of Fine Arts • Yerevan V. Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences • Yerevan State University Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, Baku • Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction (AzUAC) • Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication • Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) • ADA University • Baku Music Academy • Khazar University Georgia: Business Technology University • Creative Georgia (LEPL under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia) • Creative Solutions • Georgian Technical University • Ilia State University (ISU) • Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University • Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (LEPL) • V.Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire • Tsereteli State University (ATSU) Kazakhstan: Almaty Management University • Atyrau State University (ASU) • Impact Hub Pilot Almaty • Kazakh-American Free University • Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) • Kazakhstan Fashion Week • Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory (KKNC) • L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University – ENU • Narxoz University (NARXOZ) • PI Nazarbayev University Research and Innovation System (NURIS) • T. Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts • Kazakh-Russian International University • The National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Atameken” (NCE) Kyrgyzstan: Continuing Education Center of American University of Central Asia • Enactus • Kyrgyz National University named after J. Balasagyn • Resource Centre in Kyrgyzstan of Central Asian Crafts Support Association – CACSARC Ukraine: Donetsk National Technical University (DonNTU) • Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas (IFNTUOG) • Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education (KhMAPE) • Kyiv National Economic University • Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (KNUTD) • Lviv National Academy of Arts • Lviv Polytechnic National University • NGO Tech Start-up School (of Lviv Polytechnic National University) • Non-Governmental Organization Bureau of Research, Innovations and Technologies (NGO BRIT) • PPV Knowledge Network Ltd • Ukrainian Engineering Pedagogics Academy (UEPA) • V.N. Karazin National University • Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (TSNUK) • Higher Educational Establishment of Ukoopspilka “Poltava University of Economics and Trade” • Adult Education Centre of Poltava Region Uzbekistan: Bonum Factum Gallery • Ministry of Public Education • National Institute of Fine Art and Design named after Kamoliddin Bekhzod • New Silk Road International Tourism University • Scientific and Practical Center for the implementation of Innovative Developments • Scientific Research Institute for Standardisation, Metrology and Certification • Tashkent State Technical University named after Islam Karimov • Tashkent State University of Economics • The Arts and Culture Development Foundation • Uzbekistan State Institute of Art and Culture • The Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan • Tashkent University of Information Technologies (TUIT) • Tashkent Institute of Textile & Light Industry

TIPS FOR PITCHING

1.

Start with a very strong introduction where you describe the problem you are addressing and make sure you get the audience’s attention by using a personal story or powerful statistics

2.

Describe your solution, how it solves the problem you have identified previously and how it is different from the existing competition (if any!)

3.

Portray who is affected by the problem (your customer) and find out how many individuals are affected to show how big the market is

4.

Demonstrate how your idea will make money and the potential for it

5.

Have a strong closing sentence a slogan for your idea

6.

Practice, practice, practice!

OTHER RESOURCES

ENTREPRENEURIAL GLOSSARY

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

FAQ