Young Entrepreneur Prize 2024

The Young Entrepreneur Prize rewards students from selected schools in Switzerland with an outstanding entrepreneurial project. The prize aims to promote a mutually beneficial relationship between Switzerland and France.

Rules

  1. Objective of the competition

The competition aims to reward the best student entrepreneurial projects and to promote mutually beneficial relationships between France and Switzerland. Winners benefit from the support of the French Foreign Trade Advisors (FFTA) who will introduce them to French companies in their network.

Students should present innovative projects, from a technological or business standpoint, along with a solid business model. The French Foreign Trade Advisers in Switzerland wish to discover and promote these young talents, as well as to share their experience with them.

  1. Organisation of the competition

The general organisation of the competition is co-ordinated by the FFTA Young Entrepreneur Award Committee (FYEAC).

Schools or Programs selected by the FFTA Committee, which are representative of the sectoral and geographic category of Swiss industry, involved in this event are:

  • Hochschule of Saint Gallen
  • Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ)
  • Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)
  • Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne
  • Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI) in Lugano
  • Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) in Manno
  • University of Geneva
  • Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud (HEIG-VD)

Other schools or Programs may be added by the FYEAC during the competition. Each school must select a maximum of two projects, ranked 1st and 2nd. The first project will be selected for the grand jury; the second project will be presented to the FYEAC, and may be presented to the grand jury. A grand jury will then choose the award winner who will receive the Young Entrepreneur Prize.

Projects can be presented in French or English.

Selection criteria are the feasibility of the business plan, technological or business innovation, impact on society and the environment. Connections with France (suppliers, market…) and the demonstration of a prototype will be appreciated.

  1. Registration conditions

Participation in the competition can be on an individual basis or as part of a team. Each team will be represented by a maximum of four people.

At least one member of a participating team must be a student (incl. PhD candidate) registered at one of the above-mentioned schools for the year during which the prize will be awarded. The nationality of participants is unimportant. A certificate from the school should be included with the registration. The project should not have received substantial financing (>CHF 50.000) outside from the school and should not have generated significant revenues (>CHF 50.000).

A participant, whether competing on an individual basis or as part of a team, may only present one single project.

Candidates must have read the general regulations before submitting their application. Submission of an application by a candidate implies his unconditional acceptance of the clauses and conditions contained in the regulations governing the competition and the decisions of the jury.

  1. Participation of schools and companies

Each school or Program selected by the FYEAC , and having accepted to take part in the competition, must appoint a coordinator to serve as the contact person for the Advisers at the school.

In turn, the FYEAC will designate one of their members for each of the schools selected to serve as the contact person for the school.

In January, February, an information meeting could be held at school by the FYEAC , which students may attend if they wish. During this session, one of the Advisers will present and explain the competition, with the responsible of the school.

The competition organizers have the right to refuse any idea, without having to give a reason for their decision.

If a student participating in the competition wishes to be put in touch with a French or Swiss company, the FYEAC will try, as far as it is possible, and with the help of the school, to introduce them.

The school and its teaching staff are free to provide assistance to the students carrying out a project.

  1. Grand jury

The FYEAC will appoint a grand jury that will include a majority of FFTA and designate the winners. The president of this Grand Jury will be the current president of the FFTA, with a casting vote in the event of two equal candidates.

  1. Prizes

The Young Entrepreneur Prize may not be awarded as it will only be awarded to an exceptional project.

The winner will receive:

  • Support for its development during 12 months by one or more FFTA.
  • A reward in cash of 10’000 CHF.

A second and third winner may be awarded a prize of CHF 1200 and CHF 800. The other projects that will have participated in the grand jury, will receive a lump sum of CHF 100.- per person. The grand jury, the announcement of the winner and the prize giving ceremony will take place the same day, in May and the FFTA reserve the right to communicate on this event. A photo and curriculum vitae may be requested from the participants.

A representative of each winning project undertake to testimony during the presentation of the award of the following year and to update the FYEAC about their project.

  1. Property rights and communications

The awarded projects (participants and/or school winners) remain the full property of their authors. If they are called upon to collaborate with one or several companies they must first undertake formally, at the risk of their projects being declared null and void, to define the ownership of their projects with the company(s) with which they intend to collaborate. After deliberation by the school juries of the schools and the subsequent grand jury, the projects will be returned to their authors.

All candidates in the competition will have to take the necessary measures to protect their projects before the closing date for the submission of their work at the schools. The FFTA decline all responsibility in the event of damage resulting from negligence on the part of the candidates regarding the protection of their work.

The FFTA are authorized to report on the award-winning projects, as well as on the identity of their authors, by any communication means of their choice, including press articles, brochures and exhibitions at public events of their choice, without any limits in time.

This authorization is valid provided the name of the author (or authors) is mentioned.

The prize winner will be allowed to add the words “Winner 2024” of the Young Entrepreneur Prize on documents relating to the prizes.

  1. Responsibilities of the French External Trade Advisers and the organizers

The FYEAC reserves the right to shorten, extend, postpone, modify or cancel the competition for any reason whatsoever. They undertake to inform the candidates, but the FFTA will in no way be responsible for any consequences such action may have.

Whatever the objections raised, the FFTA, the participating schools, the members of the grand juries, and the participating companies will not, under any circumstances, accept responsibility vis-à-vis any physical or moral person.

The interpretation of these regulations comes under the exclusive competence of the FYEAC.


  1. Timetable

beginning 2024

Launch of the competition in the universities

8th April 2024

Deadline for the submission of the projects in the universities

10th April to 26th April 2024

Selection of projects in the universities

8th May 2024

Deadline for submission of projects to the Grand Jury

13th May 2024

In person presentation of the projects in Bern and selection of the winners by the Grand Jury. Official award of the prize in presence of the French authorities and business leaders