MENA 100 BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION A Regional Marketplace Connecting Entrepreneurs & Finance 2010 Edition
MENA 100 PARTNERS Islamic Development Bank MENA Centre for Investment Bahrain Development Bank CONTACT For more information visit us at: www.mena100.org Or write us at: info@mena100.org or MENA-OECD Investment Programme 2 rue André Pascal F-75775 Paris CEDEX 16 France
MENA 100 REGIONAL PARTNERS Algeria Forum des Chefs d Entreprise Bahrain MENA Centre for Investment Djibouti National Investment Promotion Agency (ANPI) Egypt Egyptian Junior Business Association Iraq National Investment Commission Jordan The Queen Rania Centre for Entrepreneurship/ Young Entrepreneurs Association Kuwait INJAZ Kuwait /Gulf University for Science and Technology Lebanon SME Unit - Ministry of Economy and Trade Libya Libyan Investment Board Morocco Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM)/ Fondation Banque Populaire pour la création d entreprise Oman Omani Centre for Investment and Export Development Palestinian Authority Palestinian Investment Promotion Agency Qatar Qatar Science & Technology Park Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority Syria Syrian Enterprise Business Council (SEBC) Tunisia Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants d Entreprise (CJD)/ Jeune Chambre Économique de Tunisie (JCI) United Arab Emirates Mohammed Bin Rashid Est. for Young Business Leaders Yemen General Investment Authority Other partners UNIDO, InvestInMed, UAB, CIPE and others.
Rewarding Entrepreneurship A key component of the MENA 100 competition is to provide entrepreneurs from the region with financing to seed their businesses, as well as non-cash prizes such as in-kind services and business support. The 2010 edition of the MENA 100 competition awarded prizes totaling $40,000 US: First prize ($25,000 US): Learning Arabia Jordan. An innovative venture providing online services allowing teachers to connect with students on a one-to-one basis or a one-tomany basis. Second prize ($10,000 US): Fascila Limited Egypt. A start-up specialised in designing wireless automation systems targeted at a wide number of applications such as energy management and utilities, education, intelligent traffic systems, and health care. Third prize ($5,000 US): Vastry United Arab Emirates. A web-based venture enabling online publishers to effectively communicate their advertisements profile with advertisers. Special mention for the best elevator pitch : Arabiccoach Yemen. An online platform that will connect teachers from the Middle East with students who want to learn Arabic online in a fully interactive experience. The 2009 edition of the MENA 100 competition awarded a First Prize of $30,000 US to Turbo Morocco : An innovative and high-tech after sales service centre concept for automobile owners led by two women with extensive experience in the automotive industry. Follow us on : www.mena100.org
Highlights of the 2010 Edition Significant regional participation: More than 130 entrepreneurial teams from 14 MENA economies submitted business plans to the 2010 MENA 100 competition, with Egypt, Lebanon and Syria accounting for half of all applications. Business plans were also submitted by teams from: Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Strong involvement of women entrepreneurs & mentors Following targeted communication with OECD-MENA Women s Business Forum members and the 10,000 Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership Center in the American University of Cairo (AUC), this year s competition boasted 31 percent female candidates in Round 2, four female participants in the interactive coaching session preceding the final round, and 18 female jurors and mentors out of 40. Focus on innovation: The two editions of the competition have underscored the innovative nature of today s aspiring MENA entrepreneur. The majority of business plans submitted to both the 2009 and 2010 competitions centred around projects with high technological or R&D components in areas such as energy, air transportation security, healthcare and education. The remaining projects focused on the services sector (food industry, travel, business services and tourism), media and telecommunications, manufacturing and agribusiness. Substantial business engagement: Almost 40 leading international business experts from companies, consulting, business associations, universities, private institutions, international organisations, business angel networks, NGOs, and venture capital groups took part in the selection process. Many of these experts also volunteered their time to mentor the winners of Round 1 to help them further refine and develop their business plans. A MENA 100 Marketplace will also provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to network and to individually discuss their business ideas with experts from the region and beyond. To participate: www.mena100.org
The MENA 100 Business Plan Competition The MENA 100 Business Plan Competition, launched in 2009, connects promising business ideas from the MENA region with financing and mentoring to help MENA entrepreneurs turn their business plans into reality. The Competition also aims to showcase the dynamism and talent of MENA entrepreneurs and bring both regional and international visibility to their innovative business ideas. A unique opportunity for MENA entrepreneurs: The MENA 100 Business Plan Competition involves a halfyear selection process that begins with a call to MENA entrepreneurs for innovative business plans. The MENA 100 web site (www.mena100.org) serves as a platform for receiving applications and selecting initial plans for the first round of the competition. Selection criteria include: BUSINESS VISION QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT TEAM MARKET POTENTIAL INNOVATION FINANCIAL ROBUSTNESS Between 10 and 20 teams are selected to participate in the final competition and present their full business plans to a jury of recognised business leaders and international experts on MENA 100 Day. Three finalists are selected and receive cash awards and other forms of business support to help them implement their business plans. The 2010 Awards ceremony took place on November 10 in Manama, Bahrain. Join our group on : MENA 100 Business Plan Competition