The Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) is open for 2021 and is accepting applications. This global competition offers a chance to pitch on a global stage for a share of US$1 million (out of which US$500,000 is for the 1st place) in cash prizes plus additional investment opportunities and in-kind support. EWC elevates entrepreneurs from all stages – idea-stage, early-stage, growth-stage or beyond – by providing them with tools and resources to grow their venture.
For the second time in Kyrgyzstan’s history, the EWC National Finals are organized for local entrepreneurs and enterprises. In 2020, two startups from Kyrgyzstan (Fanki and OptimTrade) reached the Top 100 of the Global Finals, with one of them (Fanki) selected to the Top 25.
PEAK Enterprise and Innovation Programme (PEAK) is the official national organizer for Kyrgyzstan. PEAK is funded by the United Kingdom’s Government and aims to support startups and micro, small and medium enterprises in transforming their ideas and products into viable businesses, and in scaling their existing businesses nationally and to regional and international markets. PEAK’s national partners include Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Programme Office in Bishkek, Business Association JIA , Entrepreneurship Support Centres and Dodo Pizza.
The national competition in Kyrgyzstan will be held in three stages.
- During the first stage PEAK will collect applications (6th May to 3rd June);
- The second stage will involve a panel of judges evaluating the candidates (14th – 25th June);
- The third stage is the National Finals competition where 10 shortlisted startups and companies will pitch in front of judges (9th July).
The top three winners of the EWC Kyrgyzstan National Finals will be awarded the following prizes:
- 1st place prize: EUR 5,000 from OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek for the purchase of ICT and other equipment, as per the winner’s need.
- 2nd place prize: 50 hours of business advisory and legal services from the Entrepreneurship Support Centres under Business Association JIA and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.
- 3rd place prize: 12 hours (over three months) of one-to-one mentorship support from PEAK Kyrgyzstan.
The top three winners will also receive a free 4-months’ supply of pizza from Dodo Pizza. Beyond that, all 10 national finalists will be awarded a free access to online mini-MBA course, funded by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.
The top finalist will be nominated to the Global Finals and will experience a combination of advanced virtual training sessions and focused one-to-one mentorship in August and September 2021 to prepare to compete in the EWC Global Finals. With global finalists nominated from 200+ countries, only 100 finalists will be selected for the Global Finals scheduled for November 14-18, 2021, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In addition to an opportunity to get a share of US$1 million, all 100 global finalists will receive a package of perks and in-kind support services valued at US$750,000 and gain automatic entry into the GEN Starters Club with access to a peer network of promising founders to share ideas and experiences, while opening doors to new opportunities.
Application criteria include the requirements for a startup or company to be legally registered or be planning to register soon in Kyrgyzstan, to have existed for less than seven years by the date of the Global Finals (November 2021), and that team members must be 18 years old (except if applying to the idea stage category).
The global organizers of EWC are the Misk Global Forum, Global Entrepreneurship Network and the Global Education and Leadership Foundation. To learn more, visit the Entrepreneurship World Cup at www.entrepreneurshipworldcup.com. Applications must be submitted by CoB on June 3 in English using this link. The Global Finals will be held in English.
If you have any questions or need additional information from PEAK, join the info sessions at 2pm on May 13th and 27th using this Zoom link.