Junior Dragons Den expands throughout the Columbia Basin in 2016!

Junior Dragons Den allows student entrepreneurs to pitch their business idea to a group of potential investors.

The Junior Dragon's Den, a student business competition started by CFDC Greater Trail will be expanding throughout the Columbia Basin area later this fall. — Photo courtesy CFDC Greater Trail

Modelled after CBC’s “The Dragons’ Den”, where qualifying entrepreneurs pitch their business idea to a group of potential investors, Junior Dragons’ Den, which started as a West Kootenay-Boundary wide student business competition two years ago, will expand throughout the Columbia Basin starting in the fall of 2015!

Launched and created by CFDC Greater Trail, the competition is now open to students from Grades 8 - Post Secondary level throughout the Columbia Basin.  In order to enter, students must submit a business concept paper explaining their business idea or expansion (in the case of an existing business). Submissions are then short-listed and those students selected, matched with a mentor to refine their idea into a one page business plan and video pitch, before advancing to compete in one of 3 Regional competitions or qualifiers (depending on where they go to school). These regional competitions will take place in Cranbrook, Revelstoke and Trail, BC.

The program is led by CFDC of Greater Trail and the respective Community Futures offices in Revelstoke and Cranbrook.

The top three winners from each competition automatically advance into the finals, which will be held at the Charles Bailey Theatre Saturday April 30th in Trail, BC. The grand winners are awarded a combination of cash and other prizing; the cash portion of which must be used for business start-up, launch or continuation (in the case of an existing business) or go toward continuing education.

Submissions are evaluated based upon: finances, marketability, the product or service idea and the overall plan presented. 

“We’re very pleased to welcome Community Futures Revelstoke and Community Futures Cranbrook as partners in the Junior Dragons Den initiative.” stated Don Freschi, GM, CFDC Greater Trail. “With the forward momentum already achieved, thanks to our educational, student and corporate partners, we’re optimistic that the program launch throughout the Columbia Basin in the 2015/16 school year, will be followed by a Provincial launch in 2017 through increased participation from other offices in the Community Futures family." stated Freschi.
 

The Regional Junior Dragons Den live Show line-up:

• Cranbrook—Thursday April 7th                      
• Revelstoke—Thursday April 14th                 
• Trail, BC—Thursday April 21st

Junior Dragons Den finals:

• Trail, BC—Saturday April 30th, 7pm, Charles Bailey Theatre