From High Tech apps to guitar cord wraps – students prepare for Junior Dragons’ Den 2016!

Modelled after CBC’s The Dragons’ Den, where qualifying entrepreneurs pitch their business idea to a group of potential investors, Junior Dragons’ Den, which started with one West Kootenay-Boundary competition in 2014, has expanded to include three competitions throughout the Kootenays in 2016.

The Community Futures led initiative is open to youth from Grades 8 – Post Secondary level and students may elect to compete in Cranbrook, Revelstoke or Trail, depending on where they go to school and which Community Futures area they live in. The top winners from each competition, automatically advance to the Junior Dragons’ Den championship, which will be held Saturday, April 30 at the Charles Bailey Theatre in Trail.

“(This year) 2016 might be a year where we see some students developing new products, such as high-tech apps or guitar cord wraps, and others offering services in new and innovative ways.” stated Sean Campbell, General Manager of Community Futures East Kootenay in Cranbrook. “The Junior Dragons Den tagline is ‘Next generation business innovation’ and it’s inspiring to see the degree of talent and creativity in the minds of students throughout the Kootenays.”

To enter, students submit a business concept paper explaining their business idea. Once all submissions are received, the top applicants are selected and matched with a local entrepreneur as a mentor. They then prepare a focused business plan and promotional video for the competition, which they pitch in front of a live audience and real life dragons (aka. Judges).

Submissions are evaluated based upon: finances, marketability, the product or service idea and the overall plan presented.

The Regional Junior Dragons Den live Show line-up and entry deadlines are as follows:

Cranbrook – Thursday, April 7 (entry deadline – Feb. 15); Revelstoke – Thursday, April 14 (entry deadline – Feb 28); Trail – Thursday April 21 (entry deadline – March 1).

For more information on Junior Dragons Den visit- http://www.juniordragonsden.com FB – Junior Dragons Den on FB

Junior Dragons’ Den is a partnership between CFDC Greater Trail, CFDC Central Kootenay and CFDC Boundary, CFDC Revelstoke and CFEK (East Kootenay) Community Futures Greater Trail fosters local entrepreneurs through all phases of business from the pre-start-up phase to the expansion of existing business. We offer entrepreneurial programs and training, business counselling, loan programs and a business library of resource material to people interested in expanding or starting a business. We also promote, co-ordinate and implement a wide variety of community economic development initiatives within the region.

Community Futures

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