Do you want to travel the world for a year, all expenses paid? Well, this is their chance to win an incredible competition and the most amazing once in a lifetime experience.

‘Your Big Year’ is an official ‘Global Entrepreneurship Week’ event. It provides an opportunity for two competition winners to travel the world for one-year meeting inspirational people, entrepreneurs and leaders whilst on an incredible journey. The competition brings together the three themes of enterprise, social responsibility and creating a global perspective, and intends to fundraise for key chosen charities including Rights and Humanity.

Submit your entry at:

http://www.yourbigyear.com/

There will be five winners announced in November 2010 in five categories:

1. Services
2. Manufacturing
3. IT
4. Media and arts
5. Retail

Submit your idea

Initial submissions to be emailed either as text (no more than 250 words) or as a video file. Tell us a bit about you, then set out your business idea, and outline approximately how much you think your company would cost to set up and run in its first year (remember, it can’t be more than £5000).

For more information, visit www.startupsmart.co.uk/competition.htm

vcashpoint is giving away £2,500 to 16-25 year olds in England with ideas for London 2012 inspired projects in their communities. If you’ve got an idea for a London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games inspired volunteering project to improve your community, you could apply for up to £2,500 to make it happen. 

To get your brains-whirring Olympic and Paralympic Games themes include: Sport, Health Culture, Education and Environment To apply for a vcashpoint grant, you must be aged 16-25, live in England, and be up for running the project yourself. 

You’ll need to show how your project will help other people (not relatives), the environment or your community and how it has been inspired by London 2012. 

 Closing date: 6^th September 2010 

http://vinspired.com/vcashpoint

Over the coming months, the competition will be visiting Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Liverpool and London in a series of regional heats, uncovering some of Britain’s best new businesses. The winners of the regional heats will progress into a national final, held in London in November, competing for the title of ‘Britain’s Best New Business’ as well as £50,000 worth of business support prizes.

The Pitch 2010 is the competition to take your business or business idea to the next level:

• Win business services prize package worth £50,000
• Pitch to famous entrepreneurs and business experts
• Compete against fellow entrepreneurs from your region and across the UK
• Get your brand seen by thousands of people
• Meet and learn from top business mentors and real life investors

Deadline for entries from the South East is 1 July, so enter The Pitch 2010 now!

www.shell-livewire.org/awards
(deadline 5pm on Monday 6th September 2010)

Who is it for?

• The most outstanding entrepreneurial young business person in the UK!
• UK-residents aged 16-30 (on the 6th September 2010)
• Anyone who has been trading for between 3 and 18 months (on the 6th September 2010)

What is it?

• £10,000 cash injection to the business
• Raises profile and generates vital publicity for the winner and regional finalists
• The 2009 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Robert Matthams, benefited from coverage in the Financial Times and The Independent as well as broadcast media such as BBC Radio 5 Live and Working Lunch. Articles and features on his business reached a combined audience of over 7 million readers and listeners

Other previous winners include:

• Jamie Murray-Wells (Glasses Direct) – the largest online retailer of prescription glasses in the world who now employs 70 staff and has a turnover of £40million
• Michael Welch (Blackcircles.com) – the UK’s largest online tyre retailer
• Jennifer Irvine (The Pure Package) – a gourmet food home delivery service which has revolutionised dieting and healthy eating. She now has 20 staff and a turnover of over £1m
• Most recently, 2009 winner Robert Matthams (Shiply.com) has since gone on to win a whole host of awards and accolades, attracting over 10,000 companies to his eBay-style reverse auction site for moving goods (see www.shell-livewire.org/news/award2009/ for details).

Above: Robert Matthams with James Smith, Chairman Shell UK and the coveted
Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 trophy.

Watch a short promo video of former LiveWIRE winners since 1982 here!

You haven’t applied yet?! – What are you waiting for? Kick Start your life today.

Entries close by 23^rd May

We are searching for passionate people and teams who really want to make a difference and become successful entrepreneurs.

What you could win:

Up to £15,000 investment to Kick Start you and your friends’ internet or technology business.

Personal guidance and real practical help from successful internet entrepreneurs at every stage of your business.

An exciting future and a potentially lucky escape from being a lawyer/accountant/banker!

What you could lose:

Nothing!

Click here to find out more and enter right now.

Remember don’t kick yourself – apply for Kick Start by 23^rd May!

Quick! Enter your short video pitch by 27 May!

Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy is a competition which celebrates the Internet, its wealth of possibilities and lets you explore your potential.

From the environment to the arts, simply explain your idea for making a difference in the world. If you impress the judges you could turn your idea into reality.

Want to help the community? Raise awareness of an issue? Or just have a great idea for making life better? If you’re 18-25, find out how you could win £10k to make it happen by visiting http://www.lifeacademy.uk.com/

Got a great business idea?

Want to show your support? Do your bit for businesses. Get behind the competition and prepare to vote for your favourite idea.

Ten prizes of £50,000 are on offer from Barclays for the best new business pitches from around the UK. You can submit a simple business plan and optional video pitch to judges who will shortlist the best entries to be voted on by the public. Anyone with a website with a large user base, or lots of twitter followers, has got an even better chance of winning!

Enter by 16 May at Barclays One Small Step website.

Advertising campaign in Metro worth £50,000
Hosted IT and communications solutions provided by Outsourcery
Marketing and branding from the co-creators of Venture Candy, The Scarlett Mark
Membership at the Hub, a network of the most inspiring places to meet, work and connect
Exclusive, tailor-made PA services from I Need a PA Now
Introductions to The Panel, a collection of the most successful entrepreneurs, business-people and investors including Richard Reed (Innocent Drinks) and Michael Birch (Bebo).

In addition the 15 finalists, 3 from each category will have their businesses featured within Metro reaching an audience of over 3.5 million readers a day.

Visit the Venture Candy website and enter the competition by 6th April 2010.

WIN a summer job and £6,000 in the Real World Awards 2010 in association with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Open for entries nationwide, the award categories are:

For the Enterprising Student award in association with Enterprise Rent-A-Car five entrepreneurial students will receive a paid internship at Enterprise this summer – and prize money of£5,000!

For the Student Personality award in association with the Anjool Malde Memorial Trust the prize fund is £2,000!

Entries are now open - for each award you only need to answer five simple questions.

This competition closes on 30th April 2010. For more information and to enter visit the Real World website.