Tech giant Amazon has announced the launch of a new challenge to budding UK entrepreneurs.
The Amazon Campus Challenge is a competition offering students with an interest in business the opportunity to work with real businesses and start-ups to help them grow their business on Amazon.
The competition will encourage students across the UK to sign up for the programme to be in with the chance of winning up to £10,000 for their team.
It is open to students aged 18 and over who are studying for an apprenticeship, bachelors or master’s degree during the 2019/2020 academic year.
“Unearthing and inspiring the next generation of eCommerce superstars is something we’re hugely passionate about, and it’s this passion that led to the creation of the Amazon Campus Challenge,” said Simon Donegan, UK head of seller services at Amazon.
“The competition offers a great opportunity for students to test and develop their business skills in a real-life environment and I hope many students, teachers and lecturers will sign up and get involved.”
After identifying a company of their choice and agreeing on a partnership, students will define and implement an eCommerce strategy for the business. Students compete in teams of two to five.
The competition runs until June 2020, when a panel of UK business leaders will choose the winning teams.
Up to £28,000 is up for grabs, with the first place team set to win £10,000. The winning teams may be offered the opportunity to interview for a job at Amazon UK, subject to business requirements.
“Students can offer so much to a small business – a fresh perspective, new ideas and, of course, additional resource,” added Anne Kiem, Executive Director, Small Business Charter.