Smart-up Georgia reveals best aspiring entrepreneurs

The dreams of a handful of young entrepreneurs are being turned into reality after they were selected as winners of a nationwide competition for Georgian students.

Three teams of aspiring entrepreneurs were selected as winners of the Smart-up Georgia competition at the final student startup competition on May 19. The five-month competition aimed to foster and support entrepreneurship among young people in Georgia, by finding and then developing creative, innovative and unique ideas.

A team named F.I.T, who came up with a plan to develop and produce healthy fruit chips using unique technology won first place at the competition.

Second place went to team RooRy, who developed a website where guests can order custom-designed wallpaper and stickers.

And finally, a team named AbracaDabra who worked to build an online platform for mediating short-term jobs was awarded third place in the competition.

All three winning teams received cash prizes of 5,000, 3,000 and 2,000 GEL accordingly, and a rewarding study trip to Estonia in June where the students will meet with successful Estonian start-ups and companies.

When asked to comment, the competition winners said they had learned and experienced a great deal more than expected during the five-month competition. The teams said they had gained real-life practical experience in building their products and services, and setting up companies.

The competition organisers said: "All participants were extremely satisfied with the program. They especially valued the role and support of local and Estonian mentors who trained and supported them during the whole process.”

The Smart-up Georgia competition was organised by BDA Consulting from Estonia in conjunction with 27 Georgian universities and other organisations.

The competition was financed by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.