IBM announces Entrepreneur Innovation Contest

BANGALORE, INDIA: IT major IBM on Friday announced that it would launch SmartCamp contest, an entrepreneur initiative program, on April 27.

The contest is aimed at bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and experienced mentors with innovative ideas that could help build a smarter planet, said a press release

“We are looking for entrepreneurs with global ambition and our aim is to find ways to connect them to mentors, capital, and markets on a completely international basis, ” said Pradeep Nair, director, IBM software group, India/South Asia.

Top mentors from the industry and academia would help guide entrepreneurs during this event. The mentors include Sudhir Sethi, founder, chairman and managing director, IDG Ventures; Martin Kelly, partner, venture capital group, IBM; Sanjay Swamy, CEO director, mChek India Payment and Prof. Sekhar Babu, Chairperson, MBA Program, Amirta Institute.

The selected SmartCamp finalists would present their plans to the mentors and the winner would be crowned the Winner of SmartCamp Bangalore. The winner would also be invited to compete in the SmartCamp World Finals and the honour of 'IBM global entrepreneur of the year.'

IBM launched the global entrepreneur initiative last year in Bangalore and hosted multiple SmartCamp entrepreneurial contests around the globe in the past year.