Dell Small Business Excellence Award launched in India

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Dell announced the launch of its Small Business Excellence Awards in India and called for entries for its 2009 Dell Small Business Excellence Award in the country.

In its sixth year in the US and second year globally, the award gives small businesses applying technology in innovative ways to better serve customers, a chance to win up to $50,000 in Dell solutions and a meeting with Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of the company.

Dell and The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), America’s leading small-business advocacy association, founded the Dell Small Business Excellence Award in 2004. Global award partners include the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), whose mission is to advance entrepreneurship through global knowledge sharing and networking, and Endeavor, a global non-profit organization supporting emerging market entrepreneurs. The program has now been extended to 13 countries, including India, the newest country to participate in the global program. Endeavor India will also partner with Dell for the inaugural awards in India.

Announcing the launch of the awards in India, Ravi Bharadwaj, Head—SMB/SBU, Dell India said, “India has a terrific entrepreneurial spirit that we at Dell understand—the successful big and small Indian entrepreneurs have made India the success story it is today. We saluted them with our ‘Take Your Own Path’ campaign; we now look to recognize them for innovation and technology best practices with the. Dell Small Business Excellence Awards. SMBs will play a key role in economic growth especially in these times; Dell remains committed to help them grow with a suite of specific products and simplified IT solutions geared for SMB needs.”

Open to small businesses in India with 100 employees or fewer, entrants have to show how their company represents the spirit of innovation in applying IT in its business practices to improve the customer experience. No purchase or entry fee is required. Call for entries start now with the first round of submissions due by May 1, 2009.

Ten national finalists will be announced in mid-June and the 13 national winners will be announced in September 2009. Within the India region the winner will receive $25,000 in Dell products and services and a day of best-practice sharing with Dell executives, including Michael Dell. The nine country finalists will receive a Dell business-class notebook.