September 24, 2019
If you have a business idea but have no clue about how to develop it,
or if you want to scale up an existing business, here’s some news for you!
Mumbai-based NGO Voice Vision has announced the Entrepreneurial Idea Award
2019 for people who are blind and low vision. Read on to know more.
Starting a new business can be an intimidating prospect and if you are a
person who is blind or low vision, it can seem even more of a challenge.
Recognising this, Mumbai-based NGO Voice Vision has
announced the Entrepreneurial Award 2019 that seeks to
uncover and nurture the entrepreneurial streak in people with vision
disabilities.
The awards are for people who have a business idea or have a prototype ready
of their idea or wish to scale their an existing business. The idea should be
of that individual or group’s aloe and people with specific qualification or
training relating to the business idea would be preferred. However,
applications from people without any academic qualifications are also
welcome.
The first edition of this award in 2016 saw 10 contenders from across India
out of which three were finalised. This time there is one difference and
that is a substantial amount of time is being devoted in the pre-internship
stage to building important skills with the help of experts like
negotiations skills, marketing, etc. – Sushmeetha Bubna, Founder,
NGO Voice Vision
Voice Vision has partnered with the K J Somaiya Institute of
Management Studies & Research (SIMSR) in Mumbai for the
programme. MBA students of the institute will be teamed up with the
contenders for vital inputs. “The students, given their experience and
knowledge, can mentor them and give vital inputs on how to make their
businesses sustainable and scaleable”, says Bubna.
The three winners will be finalised on 1 December this year and the jury
panel will be made up of incubators, who Bubna hopes, will find some of the
ideas generated promising. “My goal is to enable them to be entrepreneurs”,
she laughs. She says one of the finalists will be a woman. In case a woman
who is blind or low vision fails to qualify, a seat will be given to another
eligible participant.
Dr Asha Bhatia, Faculty, SIMSR believes that the
collaboration with Voice Vision has many learnings for students at the
institute as well
“We want our students to get sensitised to the needs of people with
disabilities. We did something similar earlier and the response from the
students was really good”. The students will be split up into groups and each
group will be dedicated to one contestant. “The things they are learning in
class, they can actually put into practice and see them benefitting people.
This way they are not just talking about entrepreneurship, but also building
it”, says Bhatia.
So, if you are a blind or low vision people with a business idea, do not miss
this opportunity! Click on this website to get
details of the documents needed and the registration form. Remember, the
deadline is 14 October.
Call 022-40400000 and +91- 98205-66010 to know more.
