Best Business Plan 2009 - 2010

*It is with great excitement that the American German Business Club Berlin e.V. (AGBC Berlin e.V.) announces the Best Business Plan 2009-2010. *The enormous growth of the amount of students participating in the competition plan the last two years confirms the growing interest of schools, teachers, and parents to support their children in gaining a head start in Berlin and Brandenburg.

The chief goal of the project is to encourage initiative and to help students begin thinking more concretely about their futures and the future of Berlin/Brandenburg through creating a workable business plan. Focusing on this goal, the Plan assists students in five major areas:

1. Understanding the practical issues of starting and running a business.
2. Supplementing the skills learned in school to real-life situations.
3. Learning to express themselves in English – the language of international business today.
4. Developing a better understanding of local issues such as: economy, markets, consumers, politics, legal systems, etc.
5. Creating a sense of initiative and entrepreneurial spirit vital to the evolving issues in the global economy.

Project Financing

This project will again be financed through the generous donation from sponsors within the AGBC Berlin e.V., private individuals, and businesses in Berlin and Brandenburg.

Benefits & Prizes

The direct benefit for students enrolled in the competition is exposure to professional business life. During the course of the project, special mentoring meetings and workshops by dedicated AGBC Berlin e.V. members will be held on a regular basis to help bring students into touch with local business and to share business knowledge of experts within our club. Enrolled students also have the opportunitys to attend monthly AGBC’s events to network with club member, converse in English, and enjoy a nice evening with a guest speaker and fine dining at an affordable price. All students who hand in a business plan will be sponsored to attend the final awards banquet.

Those students who make it to the final round will have the opportunity to orally present their business plans to an expert jury made up of entrepreneurs, business academics, and economic policy experts. The purpose of the finalists’ presentations is to ensure that the teams can make a convincing argument as to why their plan is a successful one. The winning student or team will be award for first, second, third and fourth best business plans:

1st place: 600 Euro

2nd place: 350 Euro

3rd place: 200 Euro
4th place: 100 Euro

In addition to these prizes, the AGBC Berlin e.V. will try to arrange for internships with relevant businesses in Berlin, provide additional assistance to help students take the first steps of putting a business plan into action, and coordinate outreach programs between AGBC Berlin members and students. Please note: The Plans can be delivered in English or German. If you choose a German version the prize amount will be reduced by 20 %.

For more information see Best Business Plan-Flyer, read more, PDF

In the mean time, Berlin's Senate Administration for Education, Science, and Research has asked all private and public schools to have their students participate in our Best Business Plan. Click this sentence to read this letter.

Contact: RA'in Bärbel Freudenberg-Pilster, Staatssekr. a.D. BBP@AGBC-Berlin.de