Business Plan Competition kicks off for 2015

Now in its 15th year, the is widely recognised as a leading incubator for students to develop the business skills, experience and networks necessary to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and intrepreneurs.

The competition is one of a range of activities facilitated by the the College of Business Industry Engagement and Work Integrated Learning team, which create work-ready students with an entrepreneurial spirit who are ready to contribute, either as interns in year-long Cooperative Education Placements, or as graduates and entrepreneurs.

With a total prize pool of up to $100,000, the Business Plan Competition is one of the biggest programs of its type in Australia, and is open to vocational education, undergraduate and postgraduate students in Melbourne, Vietnam and Singapore.

More than 3,500 people have taken part since 2001, with many past entrants now running successful businesses in Australia and around the world.

This gala event, hosted by Dr Marcus Powe, RMIT’s Entrepreneur in Residence, was held in RMIT’s award-winning flagship Swanston Academic Building.

”This competition has the power to create students who are ready to generate wealth, are enterprising and creative and able to harness their great ideas in creating innovative new enterprises,” Dr Powe said.

The Guest Speaker for the evening was Alex Malley FCPA, Chief Executive of CPA Australia.

Author of the bestselling mentoring book The Naked CEO and is the host of the Nine Network Australia's leadership series, The Bottom Line.

Mr Malley inspired students and guests with his personal and professional anecdotes and encouragement "to dream, and to think of those really big ideas."

“Keep at it and recognise that some goals take time, and the lessons [learnt] on the journey to achieving your goal are enormous,” he said.

Mr Malley is responsible for 19 CPA Australia offices globally and more than 150,000 members in 120 countries.

In addition to writing a regular blog for The Huffington Post, Mr Malley is a business and leadership commentator on 2GB and Sky News Business.

He is also one of only two Australians to have been included on The Accountant publication’s ‘Global Accounting Power 50 List’.

Registrations for the 2015 Business Plan Competition are now open, visit the website for more details.