In a bid to harness the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth, StartUp QC kicks off its highly anticipated business plan competition for students, with 39 teams representing various universities and colleges within and beyond Quezon City.
The competition promises to ignite innovation, encourage the youth to turn to entrepreneurship, and in the long run, create job opportunities, and embed proactive pursuit of economic resilience from the ground up.
Startup QC, designed to nurture the next generation of business leaders, offers various prizes, including one of up to Php 100,000 to the team with the most promising business plan. Beyond the cash rewards, participants stand to gain invaluable experience, mentorship, and networking opportunities essential to their entrepreneurial journey.
“We have always believed in the power of youth to drive economic growth and innovation,” said Mr. Jay Gatmaitan, Local Economic Investment Promotions Head, one of the forces behind the StartUp QC Program. “By providing a platform for young minds to showcase their ideas and talents, we aim to cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship that will shape the future of our economy.”
The 39 team-finalists embarked on their entrepreneurial journey as they gathered for the official kick-off event last April 15, 2024.
This activity marked the beginning of a transformative journey where ideas are to be honed to hopefully evolve into viable business ventures as students pursue their tracks.
It also signaled the start of the learning cadetship that the teams will undergo – an online-accessible teaching mode on the basics of entrepreneurship, and opportunities to have one-on-one mentorship with the StartUp QC business experts and partners.
Mayor Joy Belmonte who spearheads the initiative said, “We dream of our youth, imbued with purpose, leading nation-building. Their dedication to making a positive difference in their communities and beyond is truly inspiring. We are confident that through this competition, we will not only unearth groundbreaking business ideas but also empower our young citizens to become catalysts for change.”
The Startup QC Program represents a significant step by the local government to contribute to national and global initiatives on building an active and beneficial ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation, laying the foundation for a resilient and prosperous future.
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