The Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Global Student Entrepreneur Awards Expands to Asia
Staff
Alexandria, VA, USA (30 September 2013) – The Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA), a global competition of students running revenue-generating businesses, is hosting its first ever Regional Finals competition in Asia. Taking place at Seggi University Kota Damansara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 5 October 2013, the competition will showcase some of the most promising young entrepreneurs in the region.
Each year, local and regional competitions take place around the world to determine which students will attend the Global Finals in Washington, D.C., and this latest expansion will give students from across Asia a chance to achieve that same success. Local competitions were held in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Osaka and the Philippines. The winners of those events, 22 student entrepreneurs in all, will be vying for only five spots at the GSEA Global Finals competition held in Washington DCC in November.
“This event will showcase some of Asia’s most promising future business leaders,” said Manny Ayala – EO Philippines (GSEA Member Director for Asia Pacific). “GSEA competitions cultivate the next generation of successful entrepreneurs by giving them the experiences and resources they need to succeed.”
The GSEA is the premier global competition for high school, undergraduate and graduate students who own and operate businesses while attending college or university. GSEA supports early stage student entrepreneurs who require much needed mentorship, recognition and connections to take their businesses to the next level of success.
The Entrepreneur Organization’s Chairman of the Global Board, Rosemary Tan, a member of the organization’s Malaysia chapter, will be one of the business leaders on hand to judge the competition.
“Our mission at EO is to help leading entrepreneurs learn and grow, and the GSEA competitions around the world are one of the most impactful ways we make that a reality,” said Tan. “I’m excited to see which five competitors from Asia will represent their businesses at the Global Finals next month.”
At the highest level, it is GSEA’s mission to inspire students to adopt entrepreneurial endeavors by bringing global visibility to undergraduate business owners whose companies are innovative, profitable, socially responsible and adhere to high ethical standards.
Undergraduate and graduate students who have owned and operated a business for at least six months are eligible to be nominated to compete for the title of EO Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year. Nominees compete against their peers from around the world.
Regional competitions are held in 25 countries from April to October, and the Global Finals competition is held during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) in November. Judges at last year’s Global Finals included representatives from NYSE Euronext, The Kauffman Foundation, Cisco,
The New York Times,
Upstart Business Journal, EO and former GSEA champions.
The Global Finals champion receives US$150,000 in cash and in-kind business services from EO to help propel his or her business to the next level.
About the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA)
As the premier global competition for high school, undergraduate and graduate students, the GSEA represents more than 1,700 prominent student entrepreneurs from more than 20 countries. Built on a mission to inspire students to start and grow entrepreneurial ventures, GSEA brings global visibility to pioneering student business owners. Since 1998, the GSEA, a program founded at the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University, has honored outstanding students who simultaneously attend university full-time while running their own businesses.
EO took on leadership of the GSEA in 2006 to offer student entrepreneurs access to a global network of mentors, resources and connections from the most influential community of entrepreneurs in the world. The GSEA is generously supported by major foundations, including the NYSE Euronext Foundation, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Peter Thomas. To nominate a student entrepreneur or to get involved, go to GSEA and follow GSEA on Twitter at @GSEACompetition.
About the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a dynamic, global network of more than 9,500 business owners in 40 countries. Founded in 1987, EO is the catalyst that enables entrepreneurs to learn and grow from each other, leading to greater business success and an enriched personal life. Membership in one of EO’s 131 chapters is by invitation only; the average member is 42 years old with annual revenues of US$59.7 million. To learn more about EO, visit
www.eonetwork.org, call +1.703.519.6700 or follow EO on Twitter at @EntrepreneurOrg.
