Malaz Elgemiabby, a student in the Masters of Fine Arts programme at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQatar), has won the second annual student competition for creative business ideas. 

The contest was organised by VCUQatar as part of the worldwide initiative, Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), along with sponsor q.media.

“The prize money would be invested into expanding the business,” the winner said.

GEW is a global initiative that celebrates and encourages entrepreneurial ideas amongst young people. 

Established in 2006 and supported by some of the world’s biggest names in business such as Bill Clinton and Richard Branson, GEW aims to inspire young people everywhere through local, national and global activities that are designed to help explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. 

Through the competition, VCUQatar students and graduates were encouraged to think of an innovative business idea and create a profitable business plans. 

Finalists of the competition presented their business plans to a panel of judges, which included q.media’s marketing and corporate communications director Maha al-Obaidan and manager Lucy Urwin, and sponsors from Hamad Bin Khalifa University and the Social Development Centre.

“The competition with q.media aimed to help aspiring young design entrepreneurs develop a business idea and be part of a home-grown design sector that will diversify and boost the Qatar economy” explained Roger Griffiths, director of the Centre for Research, Design and Entrepreneurship, VCUQatar.

Jaber al-Ansari, q.media Group CEO, commented: “The competition encouraged students to be innovative, an idea we very much support at q.media and believe it is important to the future growth of Qatar, especially with our youth. 

Munther Dawood (projects and investment manager, Social Development Centre) and Mohamed Waseem Hemmoudeh (senior specialist, Hamad Bin Khalifa University) were also present at the award ceremony.