Scholarship / Financial aid: Prizes

Date: 2012

Deadline: Registration Closed

Open to : All Interested

The Foster School of Business

Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition 2012

The Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition (GSEC) is a leading-edge international social venture plan competition, where interdisciplinary student teams from around the world propose creative, commercially viable businesses aimed at reducing poverty in the developing world.

From innovative sanitation solutions in Kenya, to solar-powered modular power generators in Papua New Guinea, to prick-less anemia scanners in India, GSEC business plans demonstrate the power of business to create sustainable, positive change to some of the world’s most challenging social problems.

How to Apply

1. CONFIRM ELIGIBILITY: Review GSEC rules and eligibility, below.
2. PREPARE: The GSEC application is entirely online and consists of a team registration and summary of the business idea.  Review the GSEC Application Requirements to prepare your business summary.
3. SUBMIT YOUR ONLINE GSEC APPLICATION by November 9, 2011.

No late submissions will be accepted

Why Apply to GSEC?

Up to $30,000 in monetary prizes are awarded to semi-finalist teams that develop businesses with the most innovative solutions to problems of poverty and the best integration of financial and social returns on investment.  Prizes include GSEC grand, global health, and Information & Communications Technology (ICT) prizes. See below.

A world-class program, GSEC supports students as they develop innovative business models that achieve poverty alleviation and empowerment of the poor.   Throughout the process – from application to GSEC Week – students receive expert guidance, refine their business skills, develop their networks, and gain access to new resources.   

Each year, 15-20 semi-finalist student teams worldwide are selected from the applicant pool, paired with mentors and are invited to participate in GSEC Week, February 27 – March 2, 2012, in Seattle, Washington, USA.   Through exposure to iconic global companies, a vibrant international development sector, leading research institutions, GSEC Week provides exclusive opportunities for semi-finalist teams to benefit from invaluable resources and expertise in the Seattle region. 

GSEC Eligibility - Overview

• All applicants must review the full GSEC Rules & Eligibility prior to submitting an application.
• GSEC seeks the most innovative, student-generated social business plans that aim to alleviate a problem(s) of poverty in developing economies.*
• GSEC is open to currently enrolled students, in any discipline and level of study, at any academic institution of higher education worldwide.
• Multi-disciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. Teams may be comprised of students from difference academic institutions.
• Plans must clearly demonstrate the social impact and calculate the Social Return on Investment (SROI) and provide a social impact assessment.  GSEC business plans may focus on any subject area.
• GSEC business plans are evaluated on three criteria: 1) Effect on the quality of life and poverty alleviation in one or more developing economies; 2) Financial sustainability; 3) Feasibility of implementation.**

Application Review & Team Selection

• The GSEC application is an overview of the business idea.

• Applications go through two rounds of reviews between November-December 2011 to determine the semi-finalist GSEC teams.

• All entrants will be notified of their application status by December 30, 2011.

• Semi-finalist teams are selected and paired with mentors by December 30, 2011.

• All semi-finalist teams travel to Seattle, Washington for GSEC Week, February 27 – March 2, 2012

Attachments:

* GSEC Prizes & Confidentiality Guidelines
* GSEC Rules & Eligibility
* GSEC Application Requirements

Contact Information:

The Foster School of Business

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: GSEC