Creative Business Cup seeks to empower startups and entrepreneurs within the creative industries worldwide, by connecting them to new investors, the global market and strengthening their innovation capabilities to the benefit of both the industry and society.
Each year national winners around the world compete for a chance to represent their country at the CBC Global Finals in Copenhagen, Denmark, which will take pace on 16 November 2017.
UK startups can enter for free by uploading their business concepts via the GEN website. Shortlisted finalists will then be invited to pitch their ideas to a live panel at the Unbound Startup Fair on 19 July 2017 in the Old Truman Brewery.
The UK finalist will be flown to Copenhagen to compete for the coveted ‘Creative Entrepreneur of the Year’ title, a cash prize of €15,000 and one year’s full membership to innovation trends company Stylus. Monetary prizes will also be available for second and third place winners. Startups not taking part in the international finals are invited to join the Global Finals in Copenhagen, but will not be eligible to compete.
In 2015, Brighton startup MakerClub, a platform for young inventors, won the national Creative Business Cup competition in the UK. The brand has gone on to secure numerous collaborations with accelerators including Barclays Eagle Labs.
Simon Riley, founder and CEO of MakerClub, said of the competition: “Winning the Creative Business Cup and going to the national finals was a real springboard for MakerClub. It both validated our business idea and introduced us to mentors, investors and other exciting startups in EdTech. We’re now looking to really scale in 2017.”
Rasmus Tscherning, CEO of Creative Business Cup, says: “Worldwide, the creative industries contribute significantly to economic growth and employment, yet it is one of the most difficult spaces to break into as a startup. While all entrepreneurs face challenges in business development, internationalisation and access to finance, startups from the creative industries often face additional obstacles because they are perceived as a more risky investment. Creative Business Cup looks to challenge that notion by empowering start-ups.
“We have worked with The Global Entrepreneur Network on a global scale for some time now, but this is the first time we have activated our partnership in the UK. The UK has one of the most diverse and vibrant creative sectors in the world so it will be great to see who comes forward.”
Ewan Gaffney, MD of GEN UK and GEW UK, adds: “Entrepreneurship is no longer a niche concern. 383,000 British businesses were started in 2016 and the 5.4 million SMEs in the UK constitute 99% of all business activity.
“The creative industries play a tremendous role in that landscape; employing more than three million people and contributing £87.4bn to the economy annually. But far beyond their economic impact, the cultural significance of our creative economy must not be forgotten. The creative sector helps the UK project itself around the world as a global hub for creative innovation. Competitions like Creative Business Cup are hugely important to growing this positioning, so for GEN the partnership is the perfect synergy.”
Creative Business Cup is supported by Stylus Media Group. The partnership, which seeks to drive awareness and engagement for the brands globally, is built around a shared vision to help establish innovative and profitable relationships between the world’s largest brands and best startups.
