Best business plan competition

Deadline: February 12, 2012

NEW Deadline: February 20, 2012

What?

The US Embassy in Belgrade is seeking entries from university students for the Ron Brown Apprentice Program. Through the program, the Embassy invites Serbian university students to come up with the next Facebook, Apple iPhone, or hybrid car. The program aims to promote entrepreneurism, the development of sound business practices, and the promotion of the free market system in Southeast Europe. The winners of the Serbian competition will then go on to compete against other students in Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Kosovo in a region-wide competition for the best business plan. The competition is envisioned in the format of Donald Trump's The Apprentice, in that successful businesspeople in the region will evaluate the projects against one another blindly.

Why Apply?

• The top 3 submissions of the Ron Brown Apprentice Program contest in Serbia will travel to Opatija to attend the Ron Brown Forum: Economic Opportunities at the Municipal Level, April 2-4. In Opatija, the Serbian students will compete against their counterparts in the region for three prizes.
• Travel expenses will be covered by the Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade.
• An iPad will be awarded to the winner for first prize for the best business plan. An iPhone will be awarded as the second prize, and an iPod will be awarded as the third prize.

Where and How?

• Submissions must be a 1-2 pages' business abstract, in English; the submission must include a complete budget for the proposed business venture, and from where funds would be solicited for the venture (angel investors? Venture capitalists? Private banks? International funds? Etc.)
• The name of the country should not be mentioned in the abstract. The business plan should be one that can be applied elsewhere.
• Submissions must be sent to no later than February 12, 2011. A panel of Embassy experts will select the winners for the Serbian competition, who will be notified by February 20.
• Students from ages 18-25 are eligible to submit a business plan. You must be either currently enrolled in an undergraduate program or graduated from an undergraduate program within the last 2 years.
• Business plans must be sent to the U.S. Embassy at usembassyserbia@gmail.com with "The Ron Brown Apprentice Program" in the Subject field of the e-mail. Each participant must also submit a CV and basic biographical information – name, age, school/university, email, and phone number.
• Business plan submissions that do not comply with the U.S. Embassy guidelines or contain prohibited, inappropriate, irrelevant, or copied content will be disqualified, removed from the selection, and not considered for a prize.
• If you have questions on the contest, please address them to usembassyserbia@gmail.com, subject: "The Ron Brown Apprentice Program."