Congratulations to successful women entrepreneurs of the phase 2 Youwin project.
You sleepless nights and sweat was not in vain. Indeed i will comfortably call you the women among the girls.
Just. A quick reminder for those who are yet to register a business name for the proposed venture.
You have till Monday 10th June 2013 to do so. Please visit the youwin website (www.youwin.org.ng) for more details.

You can also use this thread to ask relevant questions regarding this project or getting started.

Congratulations once again.

Successful women in the youwin women 2012 of the North Central zone on June 25th 2013 took part in the signing ceremony to legally formalize the grant process. The ceremony which took place at the Federal Ministry of Finance building at Abuja was well attended by the provisional winners.

Youth with innovation in Nigeria (YouWin) is a competitive grant proposal instituted by the Federal government of Nigeria.
Nigerian youths between ages 18 and 45 who are graduates submit their innovative business ideas worth between 1 and 10 million naira.
This is the second of a series of 3 grants. The third and final call submission may come up in September this year. So start researching your interest and ideas. You never can tell. It could be you. The programme is transparent, merit-based and highly competitive.

For more information, please visit www.youwin.org.ng.

Great business for youths. I want to claim a grant in this too. Great piece of info to our youths. You never know you could be a winner, all you need do is first register a company name.

Not necessarily. Most successful applicants are only registering their businesses now because it is mandatory to do so as a winner and not before applying. The most important thing is to decide to participate. Identify the field of interest and start your research. You must understand your industry, the market, and how to propose an innovation over the existing trend. The organizers will want to ascertain that you know what you want, and that you are enthusiastic about it, have given it serious thought and can deliver and sustain it over the years.

And do not listen to people who claim its on a man-know-man basis. I can personally vouch that you need not know anybody (except God) to succeed. Be determined and observe the rules guiding the competition.

When they talk about an innovation, it must not be a new product or service. It could be that you are doing things differently or more efficiently that the norm.

For starters, identify a need or problem you can solve, not necessarily easily. Ensure there is a problem that needs solving. It could be in education (teaching children their native languages via DVD. Think in the line of the cartoon character Dora or Barney), Franchise operations in services (Mr Biggs, ICT education, Laundry, Edutainment) or even to expand an existing business. So long as you are not dealing arms, producing alcoholic beverages or contributing to human trafficking of child abuse, you are good to go.

The third round is the final round of a 3 year competitive grant proposal project of the GEJ administration. Some call it National Cake, others say it is fraud. I like to call it a timely intervention. However you wish to see it, there will always be winners. You may choose to sit on the fence, or jump in. You cant float. Its your choice, Really.

Castello. pls what does the YouWin boot camp for awardees entails, and where will it be conducted.