SFU competition shines spotlight on young entrepreneurs

The best and brightest of Simon Fraser University’s entrepreneurial community will go head to head this weekend, as they compete for the title of 2012 SFU Student Entrepreneur of the Year.

The fifth annual SFU Entrepreneur of the Year (SEY) competition will take place on November 24 from 2 – 6.30pm at the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in downtown Vancouver. The competition is the signature entrepreneurship program for Enactus SFU, and provides the most talented entrepreneurial students with a platform to take their business ventures to the next level.

The SEY competition will consist of two rounds, with the four competitors who advance from the morning session presenting to a panel of industry professionals in the afternoon, following which they will participate in a Q&A session. The event will also include a networking reception and a panel discussion featuring the finalist judges, who will share their insights and advice on their own entrepreneurial endeavours.

The list of semi-finalists this year includes Beedie graduate students Michael Tran, CEO and co-founder of MLT Media Inc., and Andrew Simard, President of GNUMatrix Consulting Corporation.

The winner will be rewarded with a prize package which includes $3500 in funding opportunities, donated by the Beedie School of Business, along with office space and mentorship opportunities. The runner-up will receive a package consisting of office space, one on one marketing consultation and $1500 in funding, donated by the Beedie School of Business.

“Over the last five years, the Student Entrepreneur of the Year competition has proven to be a worthwhile experience for both Enactus and the budding entrepreneurs involved,” says Chantelle Buffie, Program Manager of SEY 2012. “Thanks to the support of SFU and the Beedie School of Business, the competitors have received invaluable exposure and opportunities through the competition. I am excited to see what this year’s SEY competition brings.”

The SEY competition has proven to be a launching pad for success for previous winners, some of whom have gone on to achieve further success in local, national and global entrepreneurship competitions, including the ACE regional and national competitions, as well as the Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year Competition.

Previous winners of the SEY award include Beedie students Milun Tesovic, founder of music lyrics database website Metrolyrics, which was later acquired by CBS Interactive Music, and Matias Marquez, founder of online gift-card retail platform Buyatab Online Inc.

For more information on the Student Entrepreneur of the Year Competition, visit http://www.sfusey.com/. Tickets are available at http://seycompetition2012.eventbrite.ca