Start with Google is Google’s largest and most ambitious attempt to discover talented entrepreneurs in Egypt, bringing hope to a new generation of entrepreneurs in the country. Google is launching a competition, in collaboration with a local NGO, to reward the winning company with up to $200,000 of seed capital to start their business and fulfill their dreams.
It will not reward business plans only, but It will also identify, through jury selection and mentoring, the project that creates a sustainable and working model that will include a prototype, a fully fledged business plan and a successful pitch.
The competition is divided into three stages with a preliminary stage, which was held in October 15, 2011 at the Great Hall at the BA, Judges selected the top 200 candidates who applied to the program online through the website www.startwithgoogle.com.
After writing a business concept and preparing a pitch, the selected participants presented them to a panel of judges in the first stage held in January 4, 2012. The judging panel was a selection of high-profile professionals from a variety of business-oriented fields. Google was not involved in the selection or judging process.
The successful companies will participate in a two month mentoring program, during the second stage, in preparation for the Exhibition where they will present a prototype/working model, a business summary and a pitch to a panel of judges and Angel investors.
In the last stage, the finalists will prepare a presentation and a complete business plan for the judges’ panel to select the final winner.