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ICC
and JCI team up for best business plan competition
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| May the best
plan win |
Paris,
15 April 2004
-Young entrepreneurs around the world are honing their business plans
as they enter to win the 2004 Junior Chamber International Best Business
Plan of the World Competition. The competition's nomination period officially
opened this month and culminates in the selection of a winner at the JCI
World Congress in Fukuoka, Japan in November.
Now in its fourth
year, the JCI competition, held in cooperation with the International
Chamber of Commerce, seeks to recognize outstanding business proposals
from budding commercial venturers under the age of 40.
"The competition
is just one means by which JCI, a worldwide federation of young professionals
and entrepreneurs, strives toward its primary goal to create better leaders
to create better societies," said JCI President, Fernando Sanchez-Arias.
ICC and JCI share
the objectives of advancing global economic progress and encouraging entrepreneurship.
ICC has been involved with the competition for the last three years, serving
as a member of the judging panel and publicising the event through its
global business network.
Avijit Mazumdar, Chairman
of ICC's World Chambers Federation (WCF), highlighted the role chambers
of commerce can play in discovering entrepreneurial talent.
"One aspect of
the work of chambers of commerce is to foster companies. This requires
them to keep up-to-date with the latest business and entrepreneurial developments.
Chambers are therefore ideally placed to identify suitable candidates
for the JCI Best Business Plan competition. WCF is encouraging all member
chambers to promote the contest among their constituents."
To enter, each participant
must submit an entry form, an executive summary and a business plan for
the creation of a new enterprise, endeavour, or social activity to create
positive change. A panel of judges will select four finalists, keeping
in mind JCI ideals such as free enterprise, justice, human talent and
service as well as its focus on creativity, quality and contribution to
achieve positive change.
Each of the four finalists
will receive one free airline ticket to Fukuoka, Japan, to attend the
2004 JCI World Congress from 21-26 November 2004. They will also receive
hotel accommodation throughout the congress and one free congress registration.
Once in Fukuoka, finalists
will have the opportunity to present their business plans to a jury representing
all areas of the business community.
After the finalists'
presentations, the judges will select the best business plan. The winner
will receive a US$ 5,000 cash award as start-up funding.
JCI is a worldwide
federation of young professionals and entrepreneurs whose mission is to
contribute to the advancement of the global community by providing the
opportunity for young people to develop the leadership skills, social
responsibility, entrepreneurship and fellowship necessary to create positive
change.
For more information
or to download the 2004 Junior Chamber International Best Business Plan
registration form visit: http://www.jci.cc/members/info.php?lang_id=1&info_id=2030
Business plans
should be submitted to JCI by 30 June, 2004.
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