Create Your Own Business Plan — National Contest
Young women, particularly those with fewer opportunities, continue to face significant barriers when turning a business idea into reality – from limited financial literacy to a lack of confidence and network. Leaders for Future addresses these barriers through local Support Points that provide mentoring, training and hands-on tools in business planning, financial literacy and pitching.
The “Create Your Own Business Plan” Contest is the practical culmination of this mentoring journey: an opportunity for young women aged 18–30 to present a business idea they have developed with their Support Point mentor, and to compete for recognition, mentorship and start-up funding at national and international level.
1. Objectives of the Contest
- Encourage young women to transform their business ideas into structured, realistic plans.
- Recognise and reward innovative and gender-inclusive entrepreneurship across the seven partner countries.
- Provide participants with visibility, feedback and access to local and international business networks.
- Strengthen self-confidence and public-speaking skills through the elevator pitch format.
2. Prizes & Award Information
- Encourage young women to transform their business ideas into structured, realistic plans.
- Recognise and reward innovative and gender-inclusive entrepreneurship across the seven partner countries.
- Provide participants with visibility, feedback and access to local and international business networks.
- Strengthen self-confidence and public-speaking skills through the elevator pitch format.
National Stage
Each partner country will select one National Winner, chosen by a local Selection Board. The seven National Winners will travel to Reus, Spain, to present their business idea at the Leaders for Future International Final Conference.
International Stage
Among the seven National Winners, two International Winners will be selected, each receiving a €3,000 cash grant to launch their start-up:
- 🏆 Most Innovative Idea Award — €3,000
- 🏆 Most Gender-Inclusive Start-up Award — €3,000
3. Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be young women aged 18–30.
- Applicants must be resident in one of the seven partner countries: Spain, Norway, Greece, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro or Albania.
- Applicants must have engaged with their local Support Point and completed the mentoring worksheets.
- Priority is given to young women with fewer opportunities.
4. Evaluation & Selection Criteria
- Encourage young women to transform their business ideas into structured, realistic plans.
- Recognise and reward innovative and gender-inclusive entrepreneurship across the seven partner countries.
- Provide participants with visibility, feedback and access to local and international business networks.
- Strengthen self-confidence and public-speaking skills through the elevator pitch format.
5. Required Documents
Every application must include two elements:
📄 A written Business Plan using the Contest’s official Business Idea Summary Form, which condenses your Support Point mentoring worksheets (personal vision, business model, financial viability and roadmap) into a concise document.
🎬 A 1-Minute Video Elevator Pitch following the Hook-Problem-Solution-Ask structure, in landscape (16:9) format. Videos may be recorded in English or in the local language; if a local language is used, English subtitles are required.
7. Background Information
Leaders for Future (Project No. 101185858, ERASMUS-YOUTH-2024-CB) is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building project that strengthens the capacity of youth organisations to promote entrepreneurship among young women, particularly those with fewer opportunities, across seven European and Western Balkan countries.
6. Key Dates
Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
Submission window opens | 1 October |
Submission deadline | 30 November |
Announcement of National Winners (website + email notification) | 15 December |
International Final — Reus, Spain | 13 January |
Questions & Clarifications
For any queries regarding eligibility, submission or the evaluation process, please contact your local Support Point.
For more information read the document RULES & REGULATIONS.
📥 Download & Submit Your Entry
Step 1 — Download the Business Idea Summary Form
Download the official form (PDF or Word) to prepare your written business plan.
[⬇ Download Business Idea Summary Form (PDF)] [⬇ Download Business Idea Summary Form (DOCX)]
Step 2 — Upload your completed Business Plan
Upload your completed form as a single PDF document.
📎 Upload Business Plan (PDF)
Accepted format: PDF only · Maximum file size: 5 MB
Step 3 — Upload your Video Elevator Pitch
Upload your 60-second video pitch.
🎬 Upload Elevator Pitch (Video)
Accepted formats: MP4, MOV · Landscape (16:9) · Maximum length: 60 seconds · Maximum file size: 200 MB
By submitting your entry, you confirm that the information provided is accurate and that you have read and accepted the Contest’s terms and conditions.