Application period for BDC 2012 Young Entrepreneur Award closes May 6, 2012

Seven days left to compete for $125,000 in prizes!

MONTREAL, April 30, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada's young entrepreneurs have one week left to submit their applications for the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Grand Prize for Innovation: $100,000 to carry out a new project that will help grow their business.  The BDC Young Entrepreneur Award runner-up will receive a $25,000 customized Internet strategy from BDC Consulting.

The contest, which ends May 6 at 23:59:59 EST, calls for applicants to explain their idea for an innovation project via a short, easy-to-produce video. To vie for the Grand Prize, here's what entrepreneurs need to know:

• Eligible entrepreneurs must be 18 to 35 years of age, have been in business for at least two years and run a company in good financial health.
  
  
• The application form can be completed in four easy steps and takes about half an hour to fill in.
  
  
• The one- to two-minute video pitch will be judged on the quality of the project and not the video's production values.
  
  
• Innovation can also be defined as an incremental improvement that triggers business growth. Projects don't have to involve a major R&D-related invention.

"We want all of Canada's young entrepreneurs to take advantage of this opportunity to bring a new innovation project to life," says Michel Bergeron, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs at BDC.  "Investing a small amount of time to enter the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award can generate a significant return.  Not only will the winner and runner-up take home prizes worth $125,000, but all the finalists will also benefit from national recognition and significant exposure to new markets."

Provincial selection committees will choose the finalist projects, which will be revealed on May 30, 2012 at www.bdc.ca.  The general public will then be invited to vote for their favourite entry on the contest's dedicated microsite and Facebook page, BDC Entrepreneur.  Progress updates will be posted on Facebook, Twitter at @BDC_News and LinkedIn.

About the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award contest
Created by the Business Development Bank of Canada in 1988, the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award contest pays tribute to successful Canadian entrepreneurs between 18 and 35 years of age.  For the first time in 2012, the contest will see finalists competing for the BDC Grand Prize for Innovation which will award $100,000 to one young Canadian entrepreneur to carry out a specific innovation project. The Financial Post is the exclusive media partner of the BDC 2012 Young Entrepreneur Award.  The contest is sponsored by Les Affaires.

About BDC
Canada's business development bank, BDC, puts entrepreneurs first.  With almost 1,900 employees and more than 100 business centres across the country, BDC offers financing, subordinate financing, venture capital and consulting services to 29,000 small and medium-sized companies.  Their success is vital to Canada's economic prosperity. www.bdc.ca

For further information:

Contact:
Maria Constantinescu
Advisor, Public Relations
BDC
[phone]
[e-mail]