July 23 is the deadline to apply for the Arab Business Plans Competition

13 countries taking part in the competition so far: Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Algeria and an Arabian team from Italy ..  Submitted 109 projects. 

Dr. Ghada Mohamed Amer, Deputy CEO of Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) declared that: “July 23, 2011, will be the deadline to apply for the 7th Arab Business Plans Competition (TBPC). This competition is organized by Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) in cooperation with Intel Corporation.  The Arab Business Plan Competition (TBPC) aims to promote a culture of entrepreneurship and self-employment among the Arab youth in different countries, and to provide technical support and training as well as financial for Arab youth, male and female, who have innovative and creative ideas, and feasible for the transition to the ground, in the form of start-up companies and promising, creating jobs and providing technological solutions, to develop products in the market, or provide new products to market, with a competitive prices and high quality. To apply on-line: http://www.tbpc-astf.net.” 

Dr. Ghada Mohamed Amer, said that “Number of Arab countries that participated in the registry so far reached 13 countries, including 12 Arab countries and a European country, namely: Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Algeria, and an Arabian team from Italy. They submitted 109 projects. He called on the other Arab countries to participate in the competition before the closing date on July 23. The lunching was with the beginning of June 2011. 

Create technology breakthroughs that will drive future innovation

For its part, Eng. Khaled Adas, Corporate Affairs manager Intel Corporation, said that “At Intel, we believe that innovation is critical for economic growth.  A robust higher education system is a key link to preparing today’s university students to solve tomorrow’s challenges.  This is our 7th year in funding the Arab Technology Business Plan Competition in the Arab region to help create technology breakthroughs that will drive future innovation.  The top 3 winners of this year competition will have the opportunity to travel to USA and compete at the Intel Global Challenge, a business plan competition that encourages emerging entrepreneurs and rewards ideas that have potential to become a new business and have a positive impact on society”. 

Wait a wide and strong participation of the Arab women entrepreneurs

In the context, Dr. Ghada Mohamed Amer, Deputy CEO of Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) called “Arab women entrepreneurs to participate in the competition, to confirm that the Arab women are able to contribute to enhance the economic development efforts, and engage in the field of entrepreneurship, creativity and innovative ideas, emerging and start-up companies, not limited to males only, and may even Arab women entrepreneurs to participate in these efforts”. She pointed out that “the E-training, in addition to training workshops to be held in Bahrain and Egypt, will contribute with the talents and the participants to complete the professional business plan, and directly relevant to the needs of the market”. The training workshops will give an experience and skills in parallel with the best international practices, to develop the skills of Arab entrepreneurs and enable them to enhance the development efforts and the knowledge economy. Among the supporters unites of the TBPC is the United Nations Industrial Development UINDO”. She stressed that “all competitors will, according to the rules of transparency and objectivity to equal opportunities because the jury composed of Arab experts”. 

She added: “This competition is like bridge, which links entrepreneurs on the one hand, and the technical and financial support unites. Winners of the TBPC will participate in the Investing in technology Forum, organized by the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF), annually brings together representatives of companies and Joint Venture Capital Companies and Angel Capital Funds, in addition to their participation in the international competition of Entrepreneurship in USA named “Intel Global Challenge”, as well as cash prizes worth 10000 US dollars for the first winner, and 6000 dollars for the second, and 4000 dollars to third team winner.