LONDON – Ready, Set, Grow, an Ersnt & Young competition created to help advise and grow small businesses entrepreneurs with young companies, announced they are now accepting applications for this year’s 2014 program in Monaco. Application deadline is March 15.
Created for talented and ambitious young CEO’s and Presidents worldwide, finalists will get the chance to fly to Monacco and showcase their product at the Entrepreneur of the Year event in June. The winner also receives 90 minutes to pitch their company to a room full of the world’s top entrepreneurs, investors and past winners (including Jeff Besos) in order to get feedback and ask questions.
An independent panel will select six final Ready, Set, Grow participants who will receive a trip to Monaco, June 4-8, to join the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year(r) event.
“EY is thrilled to offer this opportunity to highlight great emerging entrepreneurs, help them scale and shine a spotlight on them,” said Maria Pinelli, Global Vice Chair for Strategic Growth Markets at EY. “These mentorships will provide invaluable guidance and collaboration with highly successful entrepreneurs who have been in the shoes of these brilliant business creators.”
Applicants must be owners, founders, or CEO of a private company that has existed for at least two years, and be primarily responsible for the recent performance of the company. An independent panel of mentors comprising previous EOY winners and successful business leaders will use the following selection criteria to pick the participants: growth opportunity; entrepreneurial spirit and leadership; financial performance; strategic direction; innovation and originality; and people philosophy. We are looking for candidates from each continent.
In Monaco, each participant will be given 90 minutes with a panel of four mentors, all of whom are top leaders in entrepreneurship and business creation. Those selected will have the opportunity to meet and network with 1,000 of the brightest entrepreneurs in the world.
Pinelli said: “This program is a celebration of entrepreneurial spirit and the creation of wealth and employment, which, particularly in tough times, is critical for the health of the global economy.”
Applications for the program are available at EY.Com/RSG
