Future Makers launches nation-wide competition for best future-oriented business ideas

Georgeta Gheorghe 07/02/2018 | 17:24

Global Shapers Bucharest Hub launches on February 8 the first edition of Future Makers, an entrepreneurship educational program designed to encourage 1,500 young people from all over Romania to dive into the world of business by awarding the winning ideas with EUR 20.000.

The launch event will include talks on the future of entrepreneurship and will see the participation of some of the most influential entrepreneurs of the moment. The panel includes Nicoleta Eftimiu (General Manager Coca-Cola Romania), Sorin Mindrutescu (Country Manager Oracle Romania), Irina Anghel Enescu (Young Global Leader at World Economic Forum) and Ioan Iacob (CEO Qualitance). Moreover, the minds behind businesses like Blinkr, UiPath, Taraba Virtuala, 7 card and Unlike Show will share their opinions regarding various subjects ranging from Artificial Intelligence to Entertainment and Wellness, in the format of a World Cafe.

Future Makers invites young adults passionate about entrepreneurship and prospective thinking to bring into play their own ideas and perfect them through workshops, trainings, webinars, mentorship and the competition itself. Those interested can apply via www.futuremakers.ro between February 8th and May 20th.

The program engages over 1,500 young people (20-29 years old) from Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj, Timisoara, Craiova and other university centres to entrepreneurial workshops throughout February-May. Find out more about the workshops here.

For 3 months, in the incubation program, Future Makers will give its full support to the 50 ideas that make it into the final to convert them into feasible business plans. The program will connect the teams in the incubation stage with other successful startups within the international Global Shapers Community network and facilitate the know-how transfer from mentors and experts in the field. At the end of the competition, the teams will have to deliver a pitch in front of the jury. The total prizes are worth 20.000 euro and are meant to turn today’s good ideas into tomorrow’s sustainable organisations.

“The project started from the need to bring to Romania the global conversation about the fourth industrial revolution and the social changes generated by it. We know the majority of the current jobs will probably disappear, but we believe that young people are capable to replace them with new ones, but with a little bit of help. A survey that we have carried out in over 100 countries across the Global Shapers network in 2017 shows that 78.6 percent of young people believe technology will create new opportunities for jobs, instead of destroying them. For most young people, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking are the main factors for personal development(40 percent) along with access to the internet and social networks. In line with last year’s results, the three areas of their existence that young people think will significantly be impacted due to technological advancements in the next decade are “job/career” (63.3 percent), “studying/learning” (45 percent) and “travelling and mobility” (37.5 percent).” explains Oana Toiu, Curator at Global Shapers Bucharest Hub.

The program is funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation and is organised by Global Shapers Bucharest Hub, part of the World Economic Forum’s global youth organisations network in partnership with Social Innovation Solutions, an organisation that promotes innovation and social entrepreneurship.

 

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