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Alaska Marketplace contest deadline for entries is Aug. 1

July 28th 9:53 am | Alaska Newspapers Staff Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

The Alaska Federation of Natives' fifth Alaska Marketplace Competition closes its call for applications this Monday, August 1, 2011, a press release from AFN said.

This year's competition includes a groundbreaking essay component, giving Alaska's innovators young and old two easy ways to share ideas for helping rural Alaska thrive while competing for major cash awards. Applications are available online at http://www.alaskamarketplace.org or by calling AFN at 907-274-3611.

AKM Essay writers will compete for one of six $1,000 awards, one for each of the competition sub-themes, plus a $5,000 grand prize for the top essay and $2,500 for the overall first runner up.

The innovators with the most promising Business/Nonprofit Plans will become finalistsand receive entrepreneurial training and implementation plan coaching to refine their concepts. All finalists will travel to Anchorage to present their great ideas to an elite panel of judges at the final Alaska Marketplace Event on October 19, 2011. Funds will then be awarded to the winners to develop and implement their business plans and ideas. Past Business/Nonprofit Plan awards have ranged from $6,750 to $50,000 per winner.

All 2011 Alaska Marketplace winners will be announced on October 20, 2011.

Applicants' ideas will be evaluated within categories based on the six sub-themes and based on four basic criteria - their level of innovation, sustainability and profitability, poverty reduction/job creation and cultural heritage.

The 2011 Alaska Marketplace theme is "Planting Seeds of Change." AKM Business/Nonprofit Plans and Essays must address the competition theme and one of the following sub-themes:

Emerging Technology: Practical use of new technology to create village enterprises, such as use of cell phones or digital media.

Education & Development: Innovative ideas to encourage life-long learning and enable people to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Health & Well-Being: New and inventive plans to support the physical and mental health of Rural Alaska residents.

Land, Natural Resources & the Environment: Innovative ways to implement affordable, alternative energy sources, and sustainably reap the fruits of our land and natural resources.

Youth & Children: Fresh, pragmatic ideas from and/or for those under 18 about fostering economic development, strengthening communities and improving the quality of life in Rural Alaska.

Essay Writers may also choose to address one additional sub-theme:

Native Rights Protection & Legal Empowerment: Ideas to protect Native rights and empower Alaska Native peoples through law.

The Alaska Marketplace Competition is an AFN initiative launched in 2005 to foster economic development in rural Alaska by soliciting creative ideas from entrepreneurs across the state in an 'innovation competition.' The past four successful competitions have distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in seed money and have helped spur real economic growth in Alaska's rural communities. Past winners range from archeological digs to village farms and producers of high-end botanical beauty products.

The Alaska Marketplace is an initiative of the Alaska Federation of Natives and is supported by a growing list of partners including the Denali Commission, BP, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Shell and the Mitsubishi Foundation.

Visit www.alaskamarketplace.org [http://www.alaskamarketplace.org] to learn more.

 

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