Martell VSOP The Ultimate Start-up Space 2011



About The Ultimate Start-up Space

A Space To Rise Above.

All you need is a single, brilliant business idea.

Because winning The Ultimate Start-up Space will get you more than just 1400 sq. ft. of shop space, rent-free for a year.

On top of that, you will receive a SGD20,000 worth of start-up capital plus an Executive Education programme
courtesy of INSEAD.

Your chance to rise above the competition starts here.


You may enter as many ideas as you want. The more ideas you submit, the more chance you stand of winning. Just remember to submit one idea per entry.
The top ten ideas will be announced on 16 June 2011. This list will be influenced by public opinion and determined by a panel of industry experts comprised of business leaders from Martell, INSEAD and Home-Fix and EpiCentre.
The winner of the Ultimate Start-up Space will be selected on 17 August 2011. The store will then be outfitted for the winning idea. If you win, you'll get the keys to your store in September 2011.

There must have been a time where you saw something and thought, “Why hasn’t anyone done this before? It’s brilliant!” It's because in the real world, sometimes even great ideas never see the light of day.

That’s where you come in.

If you make it as a Top 10 Finalist of the Ultimate Start-up Space, we’re going to do everything it takes to bring your business idea to life.

One of those things is Crowd Funding.

Through our website and Facebook page, we’ll provide you with a platform to get the public excited enough to back your new business with cold, hard cash.

This is not about investment or lending. You keep 100% ownership and control over your idea. All you have to do is offer your backers products and experiences that are unique to your business idea.

But more on that later.

Check out our past entries and see which brilliant business idea took top spot in last year’s competition right here.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

IN ASSOCIATION WITH



 


INSEAD

One of the world’s leading and largest graduate business schools, INSEAD’s global perspective and cultural diversity is reflected in all of their research and teaching. With three campuses in Europe (Fontainebleau, France), Asia (Singapore) and Middle East (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), this global business school inspires more than 1,000 MBA participants, 100 Executive MBA participants, 68 PhD candidates and 6,700 Executive Education participants  – every year.

A partner of The Ultimate Start-up Space, INSEAD will provide our top ten finalists with a specialised course on writing professional business proposals.

The ultimate winner will receive a prestigious INSEAD Executive Education programme tailored exclusively for their growing business needs.

Home-Fix

Founded in 1993 by two brothers, Low Cheong Kee and Low Cheong Yew, Home-Fix has grown to become a chain of more than 20 stores all around Singapore. When asked to take over their parents’ store, they decided to start afresh by looking at the business from a customer-centered perspective.

Taking the company forward, they modernised operations by improving store layouts, product packaging, standardising price labels and developing a basic inventory management system.

This process of improving and upgrading has remained the cornerstone of Home-Fix even today as they continue to find new ways to deliver better experiences for their customers.

EpiCentre

EpiCentre Holdings was set up in May 2002 by its founder, executive chairman and chief executive officer Jimmy Fong and his partners to provide Apple lifestyle products in Singapore.

EpiCentre has grown dramatically since opening its doors in 2002 – from a single store to 10 outlets in Singapore, Malaysia and China, with a customer base of more than 200,000 members.

PayPal

Founded in 1998, PayPal is a global leader in online payment solutions with more than 153 million accounts worldwide. Available in 190 markets and 24 currencies around the world, PayPal enables global e-commerce by making payments possible across different locations, currencies, and languages.

The service allows anyone to pay in any way they prefer, including through credit cards, bank accounts, buyer credit or account balances, without sharing financial information. It is the safer, easier way to pay and get paid online.