It’s great to see young New Zealand entrepreneurs succeeding on a global stage! Movac sponsors the Young Enterprise Scheme.  Below is the press release from the Enterprise New Zealand Trust.
Late yesterday afternoon students from 15 countries submitted a three-minute video presentation and written business plans via web-link to a panel of international judges based around the world, to compete for the right to win first place in this year’s Global Enterprise Challenge.
Four awards were made in the early hours of this morning (New Zealand time). The overall winner was New Zealand, with Australia taking second place and Wales third. A creativity award was shared by Germany and Korea.
Eighty senior secondary school students from Kerikeri to Invercargill assembled at Massey University’s Albany Campus during the weekend to prepare for the challenge.
The Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Helen Clark, launched the New Zealand challenge on Saturday and warned that the competition would be tough and challenging. Among those present were the Deputy Mayor of North Shore City, Professor John Raine, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Massey University and local business people.
The New Zealand students, who are all directors of student companies participating in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme competed against England, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Norway, Phillippines, Poland, Singapore the might of the United States of America, as well as Scotland, Wales and Australia.
Since the Global Enterprise Challenge’s inception eight years ago, Enterprise New Zealand Trust organised New Zealand’s participation in the event. The Trust operates the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme in New Zealand along with other programmes in enterprise education and financial literacy in schools. Each year some 40,000+ students participate in one of its programmes.
The 24-hour challenge issued by the international judges said, “Water is Planet Earth’s most precious resource that is becoming scarcer by the day”. Your challenge is: “to produce a working model of an innovative product, process, service or plan that will reduce the impact of growing demand on the world’s dwindling water resources.”
New Zealand students were divided into nine teams, and each team presented its plans to a panel of local judges including The Hon Tim Groser, National MP, Suze Strowger, Ministry of Education, Paul Lockey, a trustee of the Enterprise New Zealand Trust and Steve Corbett, CEO of the e-Centre at Massey University.
The judges chose a team that developed a product called “LillyPod” a stand-alone, floating saltwater farm, growing Salicomia (a plant grown in salt water). The aim of the team was to develop a world wide commercially viable sea based farm which reduces the impact of crops relying on fresh water.
This team then went on to represent New Zealand and made their presentation via an internet link to a panel of international judges based around the world.
In a web-streamed announcement of the winners, the GEC’s judge coordinator, Len Norman said, “it has been an exciting event and the work quality has been absolutely outstanding. Creativity is extremely high. Business plans were very detailed and believable and the standard has improved year on year”.
Dr Neil Pellis, Chief Scientist at NASA announced the winners of the event, with first place being awarded to Team New Zealand, whose members are:
Adam Botterill, Westlake Boys’ High School
Ben McNab, Rangiora High School
Kristina Clarke, Long Bay College
Matthew Holt, Long Bay College
Louis O’Brien, St Thomas of Canterbury College
Brigid McLeod, John Paul College
Melissa Eade, James Hargest High School
Michelle Panzer, Garin College
Stacey Kenzelmann, Orewa College
“For New Zealand students to compete in a global arena and more than hold their own should give us great confidence in our future generation” said Tony Caughey, Chairman of the Enterprise New Zealand Trust. “Given the time constraints and pressure, our students were outstanding”, he said.
The competition was made possible by the sponsorship of Massey University, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Enterprise North Shore and North Shore City. Nine local businesses were involved in mentoring the students, and acted as corporate hosts:
ActionMail
ActionCOACH
Apple Division, Renaissance Corporation
ASB
GlidePath
PKF Accountants
Quicken
Russell Investments
The Edge
Global Enterprise Challenge announcements and winning entries can be found at:
http://gec.abw.org.au/
For further information about the Global Enterprise Challenge, or the work of Enterprise New Zealand Trust please contact:
Sue Jury, General Manager
Enterprise New Zealand Trust,
Phone 0274 960037
Email: [email protected]