Register Today for Young Business Mind Awards 2024
The Young Business Mind Awards (YBMA) has launched this year’s search for young innovators and entrepreneurs. The YBMA has been providing a showcase opportunity for children and young people under the age of 25 to develop entrepreneurial projects since 2017.
Young people are encouraged to enter a business idea, design a new product or showcase a creative project for a chance to win cash prizes, school recognition, industry mentorship and participation in this year’s Hunter Innovation Festival. Primary students are encouraged to take on a class project exploring ideas around Sustainability. Secondary students and under 25s can work as individuals or in groups across the categories of Sustainability, Social or Business Enterprise, Creative Industries or Design and Technology. It’s about taking a step closer to a future where their ideas can make a difference.
Last year, a group of six Year 8 students from Hunter School of Performing Arts (HSPA) won the Social Enterprise category for their innovative accessible self-checkout design. The exposure from the event has propelled their project forward, and they are now collaborating with Woolworths who is piloting its own accessible self-checkout design. The students will be travelling to Sydney to meet the design team behind it with the trip being funded by the winnings from YBMA in 2023.
"Winning the YBMA was a transformative experience for our students,” said Ben Moore, TAS teacher and STEM Project Officer at HSPA. “It not only validated their hard work, but the support and recognition also opened doors to incredible opportunities to collaborate with industry leaders."
The YBMA is presented by Career Links, the organisation behind the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Career Expo and the Work Placement Program. The team are also collaborating with the Hunter Innovation Festival, the premier platform for showcasing innovation in our region.
Ryan Muir, CEO of RAM Manufacturing, and a member of the Advanced Manufacturing Action Summit group of Hunter IF is thrilled to be collaborating with YBMA.
“This partnership marks a pivotal moment as two great organizations join forces to nurture the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs by providing them with the resources and recognition they need to succeed,” said Ryan.
All the information about the awards can be found at www.ybma.com.au. Entries close on September 3. Resources, curriculum links and teacher packs are available from the website.
2024 PRIZES TO WIN!
The big question that many students will ask is:
“Yeh - well, what can I win?”
We’ve changed it up a bit this year in an effort to bring more value to the school, teachers and students.
Primary Schools enter the Sustainability Category as a classroom or as individuals. There will be one winner and one runner up with some encouragement awards.
Primary Winner/s will receive:
School - $200 + Primary School Trophy
Entrant/s - $50 cash card + medallions & certificates
Invitation to attend the Hunter Innovation Festival valued at $249pp
Runners up & Encouragement Awards will be medallions & certificates.
Secondary Schools and Under 25s enter as groups or individuals in the categories of Business, Social Enterprise, Sustainability, Design & Technology and Creative Industries. There will be one winner and runner up from each category with some encouragement awards.
Secondary / Under 25s Winner/s will receive:
School - $200 + Category Trophy
Entrant/s - $50 cash card + medallions & certificates
Invitation to attend the Hunter Innovation Festival valued at $249pp
Runners up & Encouragement Awards will be medallions & certificates.
This year we’ve decided to award an overall winner. The overall winner can be awarded from either Primary, Secondary or Under 25s.
Overall Winner will receive:
School - $500 + Secondary School Trophy
If not in school, Under 25s - $500 seed funding + Trophy
Entrant/s - $100 cash card + medallions & certificates
Invitation to Hunter Innovation Festival valued at $249pp
Opportunity to pitch at the Hunter Angels Pitch Event as part of Hunter Innovation Festival
And we never forget our teachers, who can enter for innovation in the classroom. There will be one winner and one runner up with a possible encouragement award.
Winner will receive:
School - $500 + School Trophy
Entrant - $100 cash card + Trophy & certificate
Invitation to Hunter Innovation Festival valued at $249pp
Runners up & Encouragement Awards will be medallions & certificates.
In addition to the above prizes there will also be mentorships, incursions, excursions etc offered through sponsor organisations and/or the Hunter Innovation Festival. We are looking to showcase the winners at the festival and invite a panel of young people to participate
