A global nonprofit group with a Cincinnati presence is issuing an open call for Tri-State college and graduate students to enter an entrepreneurial competition that aims to take their business to the next level.
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization is looking for students to participate in the 2021-2022 regional Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, or GSEA. The competition comes with an opportunity to win $1,000 cash, more than $5,000 in in-kind assistance/services from current EO Cincinnati members and an all-expense paid trip to Chicago in March to compete for a chance to represent the Midwest on a global stage.
To qualify for the GSEA awards, undergraduate or graduate students must have a company operating for at least six months with at least $500 in revenue.
Registration is open through Jan. 12 for the competition, which will be held Jan. 19.
Last year, Isaiah Kelly, a Northern Kentucky University graduate student, won the Cincinnati GSEA competition with his shoe customization company, Smoove Creations. He went on to represent the region at the national competition.
EO said it has spots for approximately 10-20 students to enter locally. Every student who enters is invited to an EO event Jan. 18 called “Shark Tank at the Newport Aquarium” featuring Shark Tank winner Mitch Allen. Allen, a native Texan, landed a $200,000 investment from celebrity businesswoman Barbara Corcoran on the ABC reality show in 2018 for his business, Hire Santa, a digital marketing company that connects clients to Santa actors.
Entrepreneurs’ Organization is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 13,000 business owners. Founded in 1987, EO has 188 chapters in 58 countries. Its Cincinnati chapter has around 60 members.
