Energizing Your Ideas!
In its journey to become the responsible energy major, Total (Philippines) Corporation launched Startupper of the Year by Total, an idea-pitching competition that wants to discover groundbreaking initiatives and social enterprises for the Philippines.
The first Startupper of the Year Challenge was held in 2015 in more than 30 African countries. Total is bringing it back in 2018, this time in almost 60 countries worldwide, including the Phlippines.
The 2018-2019 Startupper of the Year by Total Challenge will support and reward young local entrepreneurs in any business sector with a project or business less than two years old. In each participating country, a local jury comprised of experts from Total, specialists from incubators and accelerators, business leaders and local community stakeholders will select three winners. The projects will be assessed based on their innovative nature, social and community impact, feasibility and development potential.
“Total recognizes the creativity and passion of the Filipino youth. We are optimistic that the first run of Startupper of the Year by Total can spark positive change in the country through the efforts of the participants,” says Laurent Stouffe, Managing Director of Total (Philippines) Corporation
Each winner will be awarded the “Startupper of the Year by Total” label and receive financial support of at most P750,000.00, plus professional coaching and extensive publicity to advertise their project.
To support women entrepreneurs, the jury will also designate a Top Female Entrepreneur in each country. This special award, which is in addition to the other awards, is Total’s way of encouraging more women to take part in the Challenge.
A grand jury will meet subsequently to select six overall Grand Winners from among the first-prize winners in each country.
More than just a business challenge, the 2018-2019 Startupper of the Year by Total Challenge also reaffirms Total’s commitment to capacity building in the countries where it operates, worldwide. By helping innovative young entrepreneurs to realize their projects, the Challenge strengthens the local social fabric.
Registration opens last October 9 at http://startupper.total.com/. Interested applicants will have until November 13 to submit their applications.