The process of application for the University of Warsaw Entrepreneur of the Year competition has begun. It is open to entrepreneurial individuals associated with the University who have achieved success in business. The application deadline is 5th April.

The University of Warsaw Entrepreneur of the Year competition is aimed both at students and graduates who are entrepreneurs and University employees who are responsible for the creation and development of innovative, entrepreneurial solutions. The competition is a cyclical project. This year, it is organised at the UW for the seventh time.

 

“Since the first edition, the event has shown how diverse and interesting are the activities in which people connected with the UW are involved – those who work or study here, as well as those who graduated from the University,” Prof. Beata Glinka from the UW’s Faculty of Management, the UW Rector’s plenipotentiary for entrepreneurship development and competition coordinator, says.

 

The aim of the competition is to promote entrepreneurial activities, present good practices and promote positive business examples among representatives of the UW community involved in creating and developing companies.

 

Applications for the competition can be submitted until 5th April.

 

Competition categories

“The competition is an opportunity to showcase and promote diversity. It gives entrepreneurs and innovators the chance to present their ideas more widely, compare them with others, and build or consolidate relationships,” Prof. Beata Glinka explains.

In the final of the UW Entrepreneur of the Year competition, three finalists will be selected from at least three of the five categories:

  • “Master of Business” – an award will be given to a business that has been founded by a UW student, doctoral candidate, graduate or employee and has been in business for more than four years;
  • “Social Entrepreneur” – an award will be given to an organisation that supports activities for the benefit of society and was founded by a UW student, doctoral candidate, graduate or employee;
  • “Innovator / Innovator of the Year” – in this category, an award will be given to an entrepreneur offering innovative products or services or applying modern/innovative organisational solutions;
  • “Corporate Entrepreneur” – an award will be given to an employee (not owner, co-owner, or creator) who has initiated the documented implementation of an innovative product, service or solution, a UW graduate;
  • “UW start-up of the year” – in this category, at least one of the founders of a start-up (founded no later than 12 months before the date of the competition award and operating for no longer than 5 years) who is a student, doctoral candidate, graduate or employee of the UW will be awarded.

The final of the seventh edition of the UW Entrepreneur of the Year competition and an award gala will be held in May.

 

More information about the competition and the application form are available on the official website of the UW Entrepreneur of the Year.

The finalists and winners of last year’s UW Entrepreneur of the Year competition were:

“Master of Business”:

  • SOTI Natural – grand prize;
  • Motivizer – finalist;
  • DESEO Poland –

“Social Entrepreneur”:

  • Woshwosh – distinction;
  • Beskidzki Klub Tenisowy Advantage Bielsko-Biała – finalist;
  • Brave Teddy Bear Institute sp. z o.o – grand prize.

“Innovation/Innovator of the Year”:

  • Molecule One – distinction;
  • Virtual Clinic by BD Polska – finalist;
  • ProperGate –

“Start-up of the Year at the University of Warsaw”:

  • Calmsie sp. z o.o. – distinction;
  • Smarter Diagnostics: start-up – grand prize.

 

Dr Adam Manikowski, Managing Director of Żabka was awarded special distinction for applying good business practices in a dynamically growing organisation.