The DC chapter of the
Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO DC) is hosting a regional competition for the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA). The GSEA is a worldwide pitch competition for undergraduate students who have started revenue-producing businesses while they are still in school.
According to Michael Goldstein, emerging programs chair at EO DC, 22 different countries are represented in the pitch competition. The D.C. regional competition will take place at Atlantic Media on September 16.
"Six students will compete at the regional competition," says Goldstein. They will be chosen from applicants by some of the 120-plus members of the EO DC. "Each student gets half an hour to pitch. The competition is less about how big [someone's] business is, and more about whether or not you would invest in their business."
Judges will be looking at the individual as well as the business, according to Goldstein. "Who is this person?" he asks. "What is their potential? And do they have the rip-down-the-walls mentality to be successful at entrepreneurship?"
The winner of the D.C. regional competition will receive $2,500 and will advance to the global finals, which will be held in November in D.C. "The [regional] winner has access to lots of resources and mentors," says Goldstein. "It's a great way to break out of the pack."
Past winners have included a nuclear physicist who invented an alternative to a Geiger counter that attached to a cell phone and a bug farmer whom Goldstein says was "not the coolest, but was superaggressive."
Goldstein encourages all student entrepreneurs who are enrolled in an undergrad program and whose companies are for-profit and revenue-positive (an important distinction, he points out) to apply. They have until September 2 to do so and can apply
online.
EO is a global business networking organization based in Arlington, Va. It was founded in 1987.