Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the Creator and Owner of the easy family of brands and the Founder and Chairman of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation will award Youth Entrepreneurship in Cyprus for the first time this year, granting a total of pound 60,000 to the top three business ideas (1st Prize - pound 30,000, 2nd Prize - pound 20,000, and 3rd Prize - pound 10,000), the foundation said in a statement on Monday.
As stated, the "Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs in Cyprus 2023" mark the first event of its kind on the island, mirroring the established awards in Greece that have been running since 2008, and aim to become an institution in Cyprus alongside the Stelios Bi-Communal Awards, which have been honoring bi-communal business cooperation since 2009 and will continue with the next award ceremony in March 2024.
It is also noted that candidates for the Youth Entrepreneurship Awards must be under the age of 35 and have established a company in the Republic of Cyprus within the last 5 years, while young entrepreneurs of any nationality are eligible to participate in the awards.
According to the foundation, referring to the newly established institution of the Youth Entrepreneurship Awards, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou said that the younger generation represents the future of our economy, and Start-up businesses are the cornerstone for building a productive and dynamically evolving country.
"That is why I consider the establishment of these awards exceptionally significant. By the age of 35, I had already launched two significant Start-up businesses, but as I always say, I was fortunate to have funding from my father. Therefore, I wish success to all the young individuals, whether or not they have a wealthy parent supporting them!", he said.
It is noted that applications to the Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs in Cyprus 2023 can be submitted from 29 May 2023 until 14 July 2023 and that the interview process with applicants will be conducted online, while the Awards Ceremony is scheduled for September 2023, with Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou personally rewarding and congratulating the winners via zoom.
Interested individuals can apply for the Young Entrepreneurship Awards at the link https://steliosfoundation.com.cy/stelios-awards-for-young-entrepreneurs-in-cyprus/, while for more information and the criteria of the competition, candidates should download the application form, which once completed should be sent via email to Mr. Marios Misirlis marios.missirlis@stelios.com, with the reference "Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs in Cyprus 2023" in the subject line, the statement concludes.
Source: Cyprus News Agency