Participant Profile
Middle school (grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) and high school (preparatory, grades 9, 10 and 11) students across Turkey are eligible to participate.
Participants are not expected to have prior experience in entrepreneurship; what matters is curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to learn.
Students from different cities or schools can form their own teams and apply.
Applications are accepted only in teams of 2 or 4 members.
Teams can also be formed by students from different schools coming together.
Teams have the opportunity to combine different areas of interest (e.g. technology, design, social sciences) to create an interdisciplinary working environment.
Every team must have a Project Mentor at its head. This mentor can be one of the students’ own teachers or an independent entrepreneurship mentor.
Mentors provide guidance, motivation, and advisory support throughout the process of developing the students’ projects. They also prepare for the process by attending a brief orientation and mentorship training held before the competition.
Note: In order for students to participate in the competition, a team application must be submitted and teacher supervisor approval is required.
How Is Your Project Evaluated?
Evaluation Criteria
- Problem Definition and Depth of Insight
- Innovation Value and Feasibility of the Solution
- Target Audience and Social/Economic Impact of the Project
- Business Model and Sustainability
- Team Competencies and Roadmap
- Strength and Persuasiveness of the Presentation
How Is Your Project Evaluated?
Evaluation Criteria
- Problem Definition and Depth of Insight
- Innovation Value and Feasibility of the Solution
- Target Audience and Social/Economic Impact of the Project
- Business Model and Sustainability
- Team Competencies and Roadmap
- Strength and Persuasiveness of the Presentation
1. Problem & Depth of Insight
- How well does the team define the problem they have chosen?
- Can they demonstrate how significant and real this problem is as a need for the target audience?
- Is there evidence of research, observation, or data use in the process of discovering the problem?
2. Innovation Value and Feasibility of the Solution
- How does the proposed solution differ from existing approaches?
- Does it incorporate an innovative approach, technology, or method?
- Is it feasible in the short term and scalable in the long term?
3. Target Market & Impact (Social / Economic / Health, etc.)
- Which user group does the project address, and is this group clearly defined?
- Is the project’s social, economic, environmental, or health-related impact clearly articulated?
- Is there potential for scalability and expansion into international markets?
4. Business Model & Sustainability
- Is the project’s value creation and revenue model clearly expressed?
- Have financial and operational strategies been developed for long-term sustainability?
- For social impact projects, how will the continuity of community benefit be ensured?
5. Team Competencies & Progress Plan
- Have team members clearly defined their roles and responsibilities?
- How are different skills and perspectives integrated into the project?
- Are the project’s milestones (short, medium, and long-term plan) realistic?
6. Presentation Quality
- Is the project idea presented in a clear, compelling, and professional manner?
- Are visual materials, data usage, and storytelling adequate?
- Do team members communicate with confidence on stage?
Note: Jury members will score these criteria using a detailed rubric. The full version of the rubric will be shared with teams along with the application guide.