Do you want to change the world? Do you have a great business idea?
Do you have a great idea for improving life in Qatar? For starting a business? Do you have a business plan? Want to present your ideas to a panel of educators, entrepreneurs, and potential investors?
Then we would like to invite you to participate in the Business Plan Competition 2010 at Carnegie Mellon Qatar on May 19 and May 20, 2010.

Seize the Opportunity
The competition aims to help students and young professionals who have a great idea for a new venture bring their new business visions to life, and contribute to a more
vibrant entrepreneurial culture in Qatar.

We offer you a platform to present your business plan to a panel of judges who are venture capitalists, successful entrepreneurs, and leading educators. The competition will serve as an early reality check, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of your plan.

Who Is It For?

The Business Plan Competition is open to all college students, masters level or undergraduates as well as mid-career professionals.  Submissions will be judged at 3 different categories: undergrads, masters, and professional.

Next Steps
Registration deadline is May 10. You are invited to submit your business plan, and the names of your team members, on www.qatar.cmu.edu/bpc before May 10.  Please note that registration does not guarantee a spot in the competition. Teams will be selected for the competition on the basis of their submitted business plans.

For further information, please contact Bianca van Zundert at biancaz@qatar.cmu.edu or call 454 8433, or Amira Hariri at ahariri@qatar.cmu.edu or call 454 8568.

If you want information about sponsoring part of the competition, please contact George White, faculty, at gmwhite@qatar.cmu.edu or call 454 8622.

  • Prizes

    Participating teams can win:

    • Cash investments - sponsored by the Qatari Businessmen Association
    • Office space and support with starting up your company - sponsored by ictQATAR*
    • Coaching support with starting your company - sponsored by Vodafone Qatar**

    On top of that, Vodafone Qatar has agreed to provide coaching BEFORE THE COMPETITION to a few teams preparing business plans that support the Qatar 2030 Vision. If you want help with your plan before May 10, contact George White at 454 8622 / 589 3518, or email gmwhite@qatar.cmu.edu.**

    * ictQATAR will award a prize which is only available for business plans that wish to go commercialized and related to the following areas:

    1. Innovations in/with ICT
    2. E-Commerce
    3. ICT services
    4. Digital Content

    The prize will consist of the following support for your new venture:

      1. Hosting services (office space for 4) in our incubation center
      2. Telephone & reception services
      3. Accounting firm to help with book keeping
      4. Legal firm to help with setup, contracts, registration, and any commercial issues
      5. Coaching services

    ** Vodafone supports plans related to the four pillars of the Qatar National Vision 2030:

    1. Human Development - Development of all its people to enable them to sustain a prosperous society.
    2. Social Development - Development of a just and caring society based on high moral standards, and capable of playing a significant role in the global partnership for development.
    3. Economic Development - Development of a competitive and diversified economy capable of meeting the needs of, and securing a high standard of living for, all its people for the present and for the future.
    4. Environmental Development - Management of the environment such that there is harmony between economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

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