Deadline to apply: May 1, 2015
Do you dream of being the next Mark Zuckerberg or Sara Blakely? Can you see yourself convincing Mark Cuban to invest in your idea on “Shark Tank”? Teen entrepreneurs are on the rise, and if you have an idea for a product, service, business, or other innovation, and an entrepreneurial spirit, apply for the Claes Nobel Entrepreneur Awards – five $1,000 scholarships to help make your dream a reality.
Your ideas will be reviewed by business professionals, along with the NSHSS scholarship committee. Winners will be featured on the NSHSS website and in the Scholar’s Journal.
Apply online in the member dashboard. Open to high school juniors and seniors.
Requirements:
Description
A brief description of your proposed idea, business, or product explaining what it is, why there is a need for it, how it is different from others in the same category, how you would make (or have made) a prototype, and what is your plan for turning this innovation into reality. Let us know how you got the idea and what you have done about it thus far.
Business Plan
Applicants are also required to include a business plan outlining strategies for launching your idea. A business plan outlines how you plan to grow your business and explains your strategic vision. Visit websites such as Small Business Administration for information and guidance and tips for creating your plan. The Small Business Administration website provides free information for young entrepreneurs and for guidance. You may also take 30-minute free online courses for young entrepreneurs to assist you with starting a business, as well as creating a business plan, which also contains a sample business plan template:
https://www.sba.gov/tools/sba-learning-center/training/young-entrepreneurs
https://www.sba.gov/tools/sba-learning-center/training/how-write-business-plan
https://www.sba.gov/content/how-make-your-business-plan-stand-out
https://www.sba.gov/content/young-entrepreneurs-series
Your business plan should include the following components in a document. You may review the SBA sample template from the free online video course provided by the SBA https://www.sba.gov/tools/sba-learning-center/training/how-write-business-plan
• Executive Summary
• Company Description
• Market Analysis
• Organization and Management plan
• Service or Product description
• Marketing and sales plans
• Funding request needs (if applicable)
• Financial projections Applications also require an educator recommendation, transcript, photo, and resume.
For questions, contact scholarships@nshss.org