"SPARK! Entrepreneurs" was designed for exceptional college students & recent graduates who want to learn the secrets of success in entrepreneurship and experience what it is like to lead a new venture. The program not only promises to provide you with one of the most memorable experiences in your life but it can also be the launchpad for your entrepreneurial ambitions.
Before you can grow your business and achieve global success, you first have to grow your entrepreneurial character and thinking. You have to be ready to handle critical business situations that can make or break a company, and you have to have a mature and sharp business mentality. These are things that are usually acquired through decades of business and entrepreneurial experience, and thats why most first time entrepreneurs fail.
Failure is very costly, it will take away years of hard work from you, money and pride, but in many cases it is a prerequisite for success. One way to learn valuable lessons without having to fail, is to study other companies that have failed, why is it that they failed and what was it that they did wrong that you should avoid. In our program we present a number of valuable case studies on statups that failed and succeeded to highlight important lessons you can apply to your business
Between talks and sessions led by some of Egypt's most respected entrepreneurs, and sessions led by graduates of top universities such as MIT and Stanford, SPARK! is the perfect opportunity to meet the people that will help your business grow. In addition, you will develop a tool kit that is necessary to start your business which includes presenting your business, raising money, building a team, strategy and finance.
I would definitely recommend SPARK to my friends. The program puts you in a mindset that is very unique, you approach big problems with an entrepreneurial vision, so I think I’ve greatly benefitted from the program
The experience has been great so far, I loved how intense it was. I never felt bored because there were always things going on from guest speakers, to workshops and team activities, and beyond that, the team building and relationships that you develop at the program
My goals and ambitions have developed drastically since joining SPARK...I hope to see SPARK become an educational system. I think it has great opportunity in becoming an institution that offers people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to learn more about not only business, but anything and everything that is important to them.
"Before I went to SPARK! I already had a small home based cupcake business called Iced & Sliced.
Back then I had no idea how I could grow it, how to work on financial projections or what entrepreneurship was about.
If I could attribute my drive into entrepreneurship to one thing that started it all and prepared me for it, it would be SPARK!"
"I learned more in one week at SPARK! than I did in one whole semester at college.
Before SPARK! I did not quite know what entrepreneurship meant. One of the many things I learned at SPARK! is the power of failure. If I did not learn to be comfortable with failure, if I did not learn to control the power of failure at SPARK!, I would not have started many of what became my biggest achievements."
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Using the business plan developed at SPARK! Mohamed went on to win AUC's Business Plan Competition and became CEO of AUC's Entrepreneurs Society.
A self-contained town on the beautiful Red Sea coast, El Gouna offers an unrivaled lifestyle. Built on 10 km of beach, the town spreads across a network of islands and lagoons with a population of 24,000 residents. Boasting superb infrastructure and excellent services, the destination is Egypt's most vibrant year round seaside escape.
There are many things that separate advanced countries from underdeveloped ones, but the one thing that separates them most is how they treat their population of young talent. SPARK was created with the belief that developing countries will never become developed ones until they nurture their youth well enough to produce a generation of enlightened leaders and change makers that can solve the most pressing challenges the country faces. At SPARK! we search for the most talented youth in our society and we make them better by immersing them in an environment full of passion, ingenuity and inspiration. We are shaping the minds that will shape tomorrow's news.
Our admissions process happens over 2 rounds:
Round 1: Applications due April 30, 2019
The chances of acceptance to the program are highest during this round.
Round 2: Applications due May 31, 2019
We have no guarantees that spots in the program will be available after round 1. If spots remain, they will be available for applicants who apply before May 31st, which is our final cut-off.
The program fees are 14,000 EGP (includes VAT) for participants who are residents of Egypt and 1500 USD (includes VAT) for participants who reside outside of Egypt. SPARK offers financial aid packages on 100% need blind basis so we invite all interested persons to apply, regardless of ability to pay.
We receive thousands of applications each year for our programs. Pre-selected applicants go through a very diligent & thorough interview process which in turn means that it might take us some time to give you our final decision.
If you share our passion for the cause we are addressing through SPARK! there are few ways you can get involved with this endeavor:
SPARK! is built around bringing the brightest, most motivated and well-rounded high school students together. If the transformational experience we're describing sounds like something that you would enjoy and contribute to then we strongly encourage you to apply.
If you believe in our vision and want to participate by sharing your experiences and skills to help shape the next generation of leaders, please contact us stating your motivation for applying as well as what you can see yourself bringing.
If you would like to share your skills and expertise with our audience through one of our programs please contact us with your interest and mention the program you have in mind and what kind of activity you would like to lead.
With the support of financial and in-kind sponsors, SPARK! has been able to impact the lives of dozens of young leaders and can continue expanding this impact through the support of new sponsors.
