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Win a share of £25,000 in cash and other prizes!

ABOUT

Are you a student aged between 18 and 35, who is resident in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine or Uzbekistan? Do you dream about starting your own business one day? If so, then this is 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 a 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. Check if your institution is involved in the list below and standby to hear from them about how to enter the competition from April 2nd 2019.

STAGES

STAGE 1:<br />
GET INVOLVED<br />
IN APRIL OR MAY

STAGE 1:
GET INVOLVED
IN APRIL OR MAY

You’ll need to have taken part in a British Council Creative Spark activity and already have developed a brilliant idea. 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 April or May!

STAGE 2:<br />
SHORTLISTING AND<br />
POPULAR VOTE

STAGE 2:
SHORTLISTING AND
POPULAR 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 public vote for the most post popular ideas. County finalists will be announced on 1st July.

STAGE 3:<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
FINALS

STAGE 3:
INTERNATIONAL
FINALS

Following national finals in mid-July,  one team per country will be invited to the UK. These winners will walk away with prizes including free websites, internships and business mentoring to turn their idea into a reality – as well as a share of £25,000 of cash to provide seed funding to get their business off the ground. International winners and runners-up will be anounced at an event in Oxford in early September.

CATEGORIES

DIGITAL INNOVATION

DIGITAL INNOVATION

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

SOCIAL IMPACT

SOCIAL IMPACT

Ideas that will have a positive impact on our communities and the world beyond. This could be an environmental or social idea that helps those most in need.

CREATIVE

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.

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  Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, Baku • Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction (AzUAC) • Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication • Yarat Contemporary Art Space  Georgia: Business Technology University • Creative Georgia (LEPL under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia) • Georgian Technical University • Ilia State University (ISU) • Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University • Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (LEPL) • V.Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire  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  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) • Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena • 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 Uzbekistan: Bonum Factum Gallery • Ministry of Innovative Development • Ministry of Public Education • National Institute of Fine Art and Design named after Kamoliddin Bekhzod • New Silk Road International Tourism University • 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

ENTER THE COMPETITION

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