Applications open for annual ethnic minority pitch competition
Innovative businesses from Ethnic Minority backgrounds have the chance to present their big ideas in front of global brands and investors through the MSDUK Innovation Challenge 2020.
In this year’s theme, ‘Better Ideas for a Better World’, social innovation, future tech and sustainability all feature highly. The challenge aims to spotlight the best innovators across a wide range of sectors and technologies, including AI, Business Disruption, Sustainable Cities and Consumer Health.
Now in its fourth year, the Innovation Challenge was set up by MSDUK as part of its year-round programme of initiatives designed to fight underepresentation of ethnic minorities in the global supply chain.
Through this challenge, MSDUK breaks down barriers to entry for young start-ups, entrepreneurs and high-growth EMBs from all sectors by providing direct access to a range of highly influential corporate sponsors. Committed to investing in a diverse supply chain, the headline sponsor is Cummins, and other sponsors include GSK, Digital Catapult, Eaton, EY and Accenture. The prizes are cash injections for the winning idea, business scholarships, and mentoring, which will give the finalists the boost they need to develop their big ideas into successful businesses.
Describing his goal for the theme of this year’s Innovation Challenge, MSDUK Founder Mayank Shah said: “We are setting the bar for this year’s entrants very high because we believe that only through greater supplier diversity can our global partners find innovative solutions to the problems of tomorrow.”
“Like every other business entrepreneur in the 21st Century, the EMBs that succeed will be those that bring about social change through innovative ideas and technologies. After last year’s truly inspiring array of ideas, I am excited to see what the current crop of EMB social entrepreneurs can bring to the table.”
Full details of the challenge including an entry form can be found here: https://www.msduk.org.uk/innovation-challenge/
The deadline for entries is 29th May 2020. The ten finalists chosen by the judges will take part in a live pitching final, to be held in London on 23rd September 2020.
