The COALAR Board established the Young Entrepreneur Award to provide an incentive for young, creative and motivated entrepreneurs to deepen Australia Latin America relations. The Award aims to inspire those with existing business and commercial links to expand their operations, and those who are establishing links to further business/commercial activities.

The Australia – Latin America Young Entrepreneur Award consists of two annual awards – one to a young Australian and one to a young Latin American entrepreneur. The awards comprise a cash prize of $5,000 each plus travel and accommodation expenses to a location in Australia to receive their award and have their entrepreneurial achievement profiled. Opportunities will also be provided for networking and linkages to support expansion of their enterprise/activity.

Eligibility

To be eligible, entrepreneurs must:

• demonstrate they have built or contributed to building an organisation that enriches the relationship between Latin America and Australia;
• be Australian or Latin American (please note: priority will be given to Australian and Latin American nationals but consideration will also be given to applicants who can demonstrate strong and significant personal or cultural connection to either place);
• be under the age of 40;
• be endorsed by two of their peers (i.e. work colleagues or associates who can endorse the applicants’ claims);
• consent to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information in so far as it pertains to the award for promotion and publicity purposes.

Application 

To apply, applicants must submit an application form in Smartygrants

Including:

• A 1 to 2 page pitch, comprising a supporting statement outlining the products you have created or the services you have delivered that improve the lives of Australians and Latin Americans or that add to our shared cultural, economic, environmental, technological or academic prosperity. – Your 1 to 2 page pitch is a chance to tell the COALAR Board why you are the right person for the award. The Board wants to know why you should be the Young Entrepreneur awardee, what your business/organisation has achieved, and what you can offer in support of Australia- Latin American relations. In a nutshell – why should the board pick you? You have a word limit to complete your pitch (2 page maximum, 12 point font, single spaced)
• Current Curriculum Vitae (no more than 3 pages)
• Signed letters of nomination from two peers

Applicants should submit their completed applications using the online application form in SmartyGrants

Applications for the 2019 Young Entrepreneur Award have now opened. The closing date for applications is midday Tuesday 12 February 2019. The COALAR Secretariat will consider applications and select a short-list of candidates for COALAR Board member selection.

All applicants will be advised by SmartyGrants email of the outcome of their application once the board has completed selection.