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Women in Business Challenge aims to support women entrepreneurs providing them with the assistance, templates, contacts and financiers to get their business started. Women, anywhere in Africa, who want to start or grow an existing small and medium sized enterprise (SME) and seek financing in the range of US$ 10,000 and US$ 1 million can apply.

This Challenge brings two prizes. For the five finalists a business trip to The Netherlands for trainings, B2B and investor meetings. For the absolute winner, tailor made advisory services worth €5,000 from UnitedSucces, the worldwide network for business women owners All participants will receive feedback to improve their plan and may require for a coach to assist them in the writing of their business plan.

Whether or not a participant becomes a finalist, all high quality business plans are eligible for the BiD Network Investor Matchmaking Services. So what are you waiting for? Apply today!

The annual Chase Bank Enablis Business LaunchPad Competition is Kenya’s biggest business plan competition for entrepreneurs.

The Competition aims to create an opportunity for anyone with a business idea or existing business, and who finds it difficult to secure conventional commercial funding, to be considered for access to start-up or expansion funding.

The competition process evaluates all the entries and scores them on the basis of their business viability and suitability in terms of the funding criteria of the competition's funding partners. The process of entering the competition often assists the entrepreneur to refine and focus their business idea, which in itself is a valuable step.

To apply, you must:

1. Be a Kenyan citizen or legal permanent resident over 18 years; A registered community-based organization (CBO); An individual or CBO proposing a new business or business expansion that will be based in Kenya
2. Submit a three page executive summary and 20 page detailed plan per the content entry form
3. Pay five hundred Kenya shillings (Kshs.500). The entry fee should be paid through MPESA to the competition numbers 0720598971 or 0720599211

The competition is an initiative of the Enablis Entrepreneurial Network East Africa, made possible by the participation and support of Chase Bank, Safaricom Foundation, East African Cables, Access Kenya, Nation Media Group, Inoorero University and Kenya ICT Board.

Women in Business Challenge aims to support women entrepreneurs providing them with the assistance, templates, contacts and financiers to get their business started. Women anywhere in the world who want to start or grow an existing small and medium sized enterprise in a developing country are welcome to apply. You should seek finance in the range of US$ 10,000 and US$ 1 million and either already have a full business plan or need help in developing your business plan.

More info: Women in Business Challenge

The University of Texas and Dell are looking for college students from around the world who want to improve areas of critical human need through innovation. The competition is called the The Dell Social Innovation Competition and aims to help students better the world by improving their skills in project plan development, pitching ideas to investors and building resource networks. Plus, the chance to earn a hefty $50,000 in venture funding if they win.

A new program from USAID is offering 10-20 matching grants of between $50,000 and $100,000 each for start-up and existing businesses that are partnerships between US-based African diaspora and Africa-based enterprises.

The African Diaspora Marketplace is a business plan competition designed to promote economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa by facilitating diaspora direct investment (DDI) in viable small and medium enterprises.

Now there are three main requirements for this business plan competition:

1. One member must be of African decent, living in the USA, with a 25% ownership of the enterprise
2. The enterprise must be in of the key sub-Saharan countries of the focus grant
3. The winners must match the grant award with their own investment in the enterprise

And while your company need not be already registered to apply, you'll need to become legally incorporated in the target country before advancing to the final round of the competition.

But you better hurry - the competition closes on July 30, 2009