IYIE 2010 AWARD WINNER – ERNESTS ŠTĀLS
British Council is happy to announce that the winner of International Young Interactive Entrepreneur award 2010 is Ernests Štāls.
Ernests is 27 years old entrepreneur, who runs his enterprise ‘ Soon’, a company, which specializes in interactive internet and mobile solutions. Ernests has graduated from Ventspils University with a degree in economics.
Ernests did his IYIE Award final presentation and Q&A interview via Skype from Aalto University, where he took part in Aalto Venture Garage - a coaching event for entrepreneurs in Finland.
As IYIE 2010 Award winner Ernests is going from October 13th to 23rd to the UK to undertake 12 day long UK interactive industry programme along with other international IYIE 2010 award winners.
The finalists’ presentations took place in British Council Latvia office on September 22, when all 8 shortlisted candidates showed their presentations and answered to questions of jury panel.
Here is what several members of national jury said about Ernests performance:
“In his presentation during IYIE finals in Riga, Ernests demonstrated good knowledge of interactive sector, passion, innovative approach in product design and promotion as well as substantial previous entrepreneurial experience in the field. Together with excellent communications skills, these are all very important determinants which should ensure Ernest’s success in global arena and we all wish him very best in the IYIE competition in UK and his further entrepreneurship career.”
Dr. Arnis Sauka, Research Fellow and director of Entrepreneurship Courses at Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, Head of IYIE Award Jury
“Oscar Wilde once said that it is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious. Ernests definitely is among the charming ones - very social-driven, willing and being able to share experiences with others. I also have a great respect to his work in interactive area.”
Martins Dambis, Managing Director at CUBE
As the second best finalist jury nominated Miķelis Baštiks from graphic design studio Asketic, who is developing such projects like www.Burtustype.com, which is a showcase of selected typography from the Baltic designers and Blog www.plikums.lv, which introduces the best Latvian graphic design works and designers. One of the Jury’s favourite participant was also Maris Pazars with his project www.buzzpodium.lv, which some of the Jury recognised as a product with the great international markets potential.
As the IYIE Award follow up activity British Council plans to organize an event with the UK’s interactive entrepreneurs as guest speakers where all IYIE 2010 award participants will also get an insight and feedback from Ernest’s experience and impressions acquired during the UK tour.
INTERNATIONAL YOUNG INTERACTIVE ENTREPRENEUR (IYIE) AWARD 2010
In 2010 British Council is introducing a new award in Latvia - International Young Interactive Entrepreneur (IY
IE) award - to champion and celebrate the importance and achievements of young creative entrepreneurs working in the field of interactive and digital media. IYIE seeks to showcase international business innovation in the field of interactive entertainment and media using the UK as the nexus for cultural, creative and commercial exchange.
In order to promote the developments in interactive and digital media sector in Latvia and to identify new entrepreneurial talents we have teamed up with Soros Foundation Latvia who will provide funding for one of the young entrepreneurs, IYIE finalists to support their business idea.
We are also continuing our cooperation with our strategic partner Stockholm School of Economics in Riga , our marketing partner DDB Latvia , our digital partner CUBE as well as 7guru , - marketing communications industry portal.
IYIE is a part of the wider British Council’s Creative and Cultural Economy programme which recognises the emerging importance of the creative industries as a strategic priority for reinvigorating economic growth, employment and social cohesion. Programme strengthens the UK’s position as the preeminent hub in the global creative economy, by connecting young creative entrepreneurs through links of cultural, economic and social importance to policy and infrastructure development.
For more information please contact:
Maija Udre
Maija.Udre@britishcouncil.lv
Marketing and Communications Manager
British Council Latvia
T: +371 67281730
M +371 29424646
ABOUT IYIE AWARD
The International Young Interactive Entrepreneur (IYIE) Award is designed to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs working in the field of interactive and digital media.
This year fourteen countries are participating: Argentina, Colombia, China, Estonia, India, Indonesia, Latvia, Lebanon, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Slovenia.
Fourteen international finalists for the award will visit the UK in October 2010 to undertake a common programme where they will take part in valuable networking both with key UK interactive sector partners and amongst their IYIE peers.
The IYIE competition consists of two stages: the selection process in Latvia and the international finals in the UK. In the Latvia’s stage of the selection process a professional jury (to be announced soon!) will select the best young entrepreneur in the interactive and digital media industry who will then compete for the title of International Young Interactive Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 in the international finals in the UK.
We are currently looking for a young interactive entrepreneur to represent Latvia in an international competition and undertake the UK industry tour in October, 2010.
If you are passionate about your industry this is your opportunity to step into the international stage and take part at our International Young Interactive Entrepreneur Award 2010 programme!
The IYCE awards are unique in rewarding entrepreneurial ability. We recognize that a finalist may be active as an interactive artist (game designer, video games developer, multimedia designer, etc.), however his/her work as an artist should be secondary to their focus as an entrepreneur in the promotion of the interactive entertainment and media in their country. Artistic talent will not be factored into the judging procedure – finalists will be judged solely on the merit of their entrepreneurial abilities in the industry.
INTERACTIVE SECTOR DEFINITION
For the purpose of this award participants can be drawn from any of the following areas of the interactive sector:
WHO CAN APPLY?
WHAT IS THE PRIZE?
The prize for each national winner is the an all-expenses paid 12 day UK national interactive sector tour in October 2010 (13th to 23rd). This programme, which will be created with UK partners, will take all fourteen international finalists to London, Dundee and Middlesbrough to meet leaders of the interactive sector.
The tour will comprise visits, meetings, seminars and trade events where possible. It will also include a masterclass with an internationally renowned UK interactive sector entrepreneur during which the finalists will be able to question him/her about the development of his/her highly successful interactive sector business. The programme will be tailored to the finalists’ interests, and include both a group itinerary for the finalists to get a shared overview of the best of the UK interactive scene and specific meetings to introduce finalists to UK contacts of particular interest to them for commercial or collaborative purposes.
Tour programme:
- Meet leading UK industry figures and fellow young creative entrepreneurs.
- Showcase your individual achievement and potential.
- Promote top quality Latvian interactive industry to an international market.
- Develop your own career through international experience.
- Network with other international finalists from across the world.
- Take part in a wide range of business networking opportunities in the UK.
- Meet the leaders of the interactive and digital industry, such as Institute of Digital Innovation ,
- Visit Dundee – on of the world's largest exporter of computer and video games to the USA which has joined the Global Digital Cities Network to develop partnerships with other cities with strong digital media sectors across the world. Dundee now produces over 550 students per year in computing sciences; 90 in the field of games and simulation technology. Education is strongly linked to industry with courses being constantly monitored to ensure that they meet current industry requirements. The University of Abertay has established its own special research centre – IC CAVE – focusing on the development of research to support computer games in the digital entertainment industry.
- Visit Boho Zone in Middlesbrough - the region’s answer to the creative quarters of London and New York which provides business space for new digital and creative companies to grow, network and do business.
-Attend the networking event where they can meet and network with lots of internet based professionals at MiniBar
-Take part in the Cross-Media Forum Power to the Pixel , which has a world-class reputation for bringing together the leading international innovators and pioneers who are changing the way films are being created (TBC)
In October 15th the International Young Interactive Entrepreneur award 2010 will take place where each international finalist will make presentations to a July panel followed by Q&A. The winner of International Young Interactive Entrepreneur award 2010 will be announced at a ceremony on 20 October.
In London the selection of the winner of IYIE 2010 will be based on a 20 minute presentation, followed by a Q&A session, made by each candidate to an elite panel of representatives of the UK interactive industry sector.
The winner of International Young Interactive Entrepreneur award 2010 will be announced at a ceremony on 20 October.
HOW TO APPLY?
Download the application form.
Complete the application form and send it via e-mail to mail@britishcouncil.lv by September 10, 2010 (inclusive).
Clearly mark your e-mail subject with ‘IYIE Award 2010’.
IYIEY 2010 – THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Timeline:
10 September 2010 Application deadline
15 September 2010 Shortlisting of 10 finalists
22 September 2010 Presentations and interviews and to select national winner
23 September 2010 Announcement of the Latvia’s national winner
13 October 2010 Finalist arrives in London
23 October 2010 Finalists depart London
Guidelines to the 10 shortlisted candidates selected for an interview and presentations will follow. Finalists will be expected to give 10 minutes presentation followed by 10 minutes Q&A session
For more information about application process please contact:
Inga Oliņa
British Council Latvia
PR and Marketing Project Coordinator
M. 29696669
E. inga.olina@britishcouncil.org
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