April 30: Diamond Challenge final round
Horn Program in Entrepreneurship to host final round of high school competition
2:58 p.m., April 18, 2014--Over the past few months, students from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania -- as well as across the globe in Moldova and Kenya -- have been actively engaged in the Diamond Challenge, a real-world experience for high school students aimed at helping them explore entrepreneurship as a viable career path.
As part of the challenge, which is hosted by the University of Delaware’s Horn Program in Entrepreneurship, the students recently presented their business concepts to panels of judges for a chance to advance to the final round.
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On April 30, the student finalists from Moldova and Kenya will travel to the United States to present alongside the regional students in the final rounds on UD’s Newark campus.
At the event the finalists will present their business concept and answer questions from a new expert panel of entrepreneurs and business leaders for a chance to win prizes totaling more than $25,000. The business concept with the greatest social impact may also win an additional $2,500.
“The Diamond Challenge brings an introduction to the real world and has helped me improve my entrepreneurial skills,” said Tudor Petrici, a student from Moldova who will present his business idea called Bike Now. “The program taught me that I have to find a problem worth solving, do some market research and adapt to changes."
Bryan Godwin, VFX director and owner of Shade VFX, will deliver a keynote to students and guests during the awards ceremony.
The event will begin at 9 a.m. in the Trabant University Center Multipurpose Rooms. Registration is free and lunch will be provided, but attendees are asked to register in advance online.
The Diamond Challenge is presented by the Horn Program in partnership with Delaware Technical Community College, Junior Achievement of Delaware, Delaware’s Department of Education, Startup Africa, Invento and UD’s Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship, as well as international sponsors in Kenya and Moldova.