Application Deadline: January 21st 2022

The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge brought to you by Verizon Business and Unloc is an annual event that seeks to find cutting edge young talent across Europe. Now in its 4th year there’s never been a better time to put your ideas into action and reach for success!

The challenge

Got a great business idea or concept? If you’re 16-25 and have a fresh and innovative technology led idea for a business, or have started one already – then we want to hear from you! Our competition seeks the best young minds from across Europe, young people with vision, social awareness and the ambition to achieve.

Our Grand Prize Winner will receive a £10,000 / €11,000* grant, a mentorship package and pro-bono support to accelerate their business idea or start-up. It’s the opportunity to make your mark, get noticed and put your ideas into action.

* The actual prize fund will be dependent on the exchange rate at time of award.

Competition criteria

Applications will be judged on three key factors:

Viability

Tech innovation

Sustainability

• Can the plan achieve what it states it will do?
• Does it operate within the budget/resources currently held or will acquire?
• Is the idea investment ready? How will you use the funding if successful?

• Is the idea unique?
• Does it have a clear unique selling point?
• Is the technology solving the problem in a creative way or filling a gap in the market?

• Will the venture improve people’s lives?
• Will it meet social or community needs in a new way?
• Does it meet or sustain a UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)?

Eligibility

Individuals between the ages of 16 and 25 years on the 1st February 2022 Residents and/or citizens of a mainland European country Business proposals must meet the following criteria:

• Be legal in all mainland European countries
• Be either a pre-start (not yet trading); or not have been trading for more than 3 years and have an annual turnover
  of less than £100,000 on 1st February 2022
• Not have the purpose of political lobbying
• Be the applicant’s own idea and not infringe on the copyright, patent or intellectual property of others
• Immediate family members of the judging panel are not eligible to apply
• Previous entrants who attended the Grand Final are not eligible to apply

The prize

All you have to do is record a 60-second pitch video on your phone and submit it with your application here to have a chance to win:

• £10,000/€11,000* of funding for your start-up business
• A mentorship package to accelerate your idea
• Finalist runners-up will receive £1,000 of funding for your start-up business
• Ticket to the Global One Young World 2022 Tokyo Summit in Japan

How to apply

• Simply record a short video of yourself that’s at least 60 seconds and a maximum of 90 seconds long – remember to explain how your idea meets the three criteria!
• Hit the apply button
• Fill out the application form and submit your video
• Sit tight and wait to hear from the judges: finalists are announced on the 1st February 2022

The timeline

1st October

Online competition launch

21st January

Online competition deadline

1st February

Finalists announced

End of February

Grand Final

Official Website: Verizon Business/Unloc Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 2022