Baku, July 22, AZERTAC

The British Council joined forces with London Metropolitan University (UK) ran its largest video pitch competition in 2022 – the Creative Spark Big Idea Challenge.

Creative Spark Big Idea Challenge is the British Council’s 60-second video pitching competition designed to teach the basics of entrepreneurship and how to develop an idea from concept to reality. The competition provides thousands of young people, aged between 18 and 35 years, with the opportunity to develop their own business ideas and enterprise skills. The platform also helps young entrepreneurs to raise their profile and improve their career prospects.

The nine finalists were selected by a panel of national and international judges experienced in enterprise education and creative entrepreneurship. Last year, over 80,000 people voted for the People’s Choice Award Winners which gave the teams invaluable international exposure.

Competition category: Social Impact

Ideas that tackle social inclusion and gender equality or target under-represented communities and the world beyond.

Competition category: Creative

Ideas for new products, exhibitions or ways to make our cultural environment more vibrant.

Competition category: Digital Technology

Ideas that are based on innovative uses of technology and involve the development and application of new software or hardware.

The competition was open to submissions from the countries of South Caucasus, Central Asia and Ukraine. Over the last four years, the British Council received 1706 new business ideas, supported by 132 higher education and creative institutions, and voted by over 200,000 people.

Winners of each competition category in Azerbaijan will receive personalised business support, which will start in autumn. The Country Champion (or a Country Champion Team), will get personalised business support and additionally will receive a £1,000 to spend on bringing their business idea to life.

Nargiz Hajiyeva, Country Director, British Council Azerbaijan, said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with institutions from Azerbaijan and the UK and support students from Azerbaijan and their new business ideas as part of the Creative Spark programme, and to unlock incredible creative talent.”

The British Council designed and launched Creative Spark in 2018. Since then, its supported thousands of students, graduates and young entrepreneurs to break new ground with innovative business ideas. Another main aim of the programme is to support new collaboration opportunities that can develop the creative economy in countries where there is great potential and where youth unemployment is a key issue. To do this, the British Council provides funding to higher education institutions and creative institutions to develop partnerships across the countries of South Caucasus, Central Asia, Ukraine and the UK.