Got a great business idea? Can't believe it hasn't been done yet? The University of Auckland has $22,000 to give away in the Spark $10k Challenge and Spark Aspire Challenges, but entries close next week on September 3.
The $10K Challenge is for all business ideas, big or small and is suited to people with an idea for a business, but who are not ready to turn it into a reality just yet. It is a stepping-stone towards business creation and an opportunity for you to explore any business idea you have and receive feedback on it. Ideas from across all disciplines are encouraged.
Enter your idea for a business into the $10K Challenge and you could win one of ten $1000 cash prizes as well as get valuable feedback on your idea.
If your idea will have a positive effect on the environment or society enter it into the Aspire Challenge and you could win $5000 to put towards the idea or one of five $1000 cash prizes!
Entry is via submission of a short (3-5 page) venture summary detailing the proposed business, and the best entries are awarded one of ten 1,000 dollars cash prizes. Winning teams are strongly encouraged to develop their ideas and enter them into the 40K Challenge in the following year.
Established in 2003, Spark was inspired by similar competitions at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, MIT $100K) and The University of Cambridge (Cambridge University Entrepreneurs). Based on their success, Spark was established to foster the growth of an entrepreneurial culture and commercialise the host of innovative ideas developed within the University of Auckland for the benefit and prosperity of not only Auckland, but also the whole of New Zealand.
Spark is a student-led initiative of The Postgraduate Students Association, in conjunction with The University of Auckland Business School and business incubator The ICEHOUSE (International Centre for Entrepreneurship). Spark is supported by gold partners: ASB Bank, Auckland Uniservices Limited, Microsoft, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and No8 Ventures, in addition to a silver partner AJ Park and bronze partners Lion Nathan Breweries and Ernst & Young.
Visit www.spark.auckland.ac.nz for more information.
