Emirates Foundation has announced the top 15 competition entries for The Emirates Award for The Arabian Gulf Youth. The competition aims to encourage youth from around the region to solve the challenges facing society through the creation of a social enterprise. Launched under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister and Chairman of Emirates Foundation, it is a reflection of the Foundation's vision in supporting the youth, developing their skills and enabling them to better serve their communities.

Nominated entries were selected by panel comprising of highly experienced judges from the world of social enterprise after receiving more than 500 Award applications. Originality of the idea was a key factor in the judging process followed by its overall potential in remaining financially self-sustainable and the level of its social impact.

Panel members included Abdullah Saeed Al Darmaki, Chief Executive Officer, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Muna Al Gurg, Director Retail, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, Hammam K. Zare, General Manager at the Society of Majid Bin Abdulaziz for Development and Social Services, Badr Jafar, Managing Director at the Crescent Group Founder, Pearl Initiative, and Rafi Baghdjian, Chief Operating Officer at Shell Abu Dhabi.

The top entrants from GCC, with the most inspirational social enterprise ideas, will be flown to the U.A.E. to attend a mentorship program on the 16th November. The following day, they will be asked to present their ideas to a selection committee. The three winning ideas will be recognised by the Foundation Chair at its annual Recognition event which also takes place in November in Abu Dhabi.

Winners of the award, which seeks to encourage ideas from young people between 18 and 35 years, will receive incubation grant in addition to the mentorship programme session from Emirates Foundation or from its partners from GCC to develop their social business idea.

Maytha Al Habsi, Chief Programme Officer at Emirates Foundation, said, "We are impressed with the high number of entries we received from across the GCC. They were high in excellence, creativity, validity, objectivity, sustainability, innovation and authenticity. And almost all of these works displays great social values in the works." "We require the business ideas nominated for the award to have a positive social impact on the community with a long-term capacity to be scalable, sustainable and generate revenue. Projects should be able to tackle challenges that the community faces through an innovative business model," she continued.

Clare Woodcraft, the CEO of Emirates Foundation, said: "This initiative looks to provide a showcase for social business ideas and a platform for 'young venture philanthropists' in the Arabian Gulf region to bring their ideas to life and connect with the people who can help them make it happen. We at Emirates Foundation have built strategic partnerships with esteemed entities and organizations within the GCC to support this platform." The winners' prize will be incubation grant, with First Place winner allocated incubation grant of AED100,000, the Second Place winner incubation grant of AED70,000 and the Third Place winner allotted incubation grant of AED50,000 to support their social enterprise incubation. Winners will be supported with a mentorship programme by the Foundation and its partners in the GCC.
 

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