Buy From The Bush, the Australian online marketplace for outback businesses has launched a new national competition for rural entrepreneurs.
The Buy From The Bush Big Break competition calls on Aussies from the bush to pitch their great business idea via social media for their chance to win a share of a $60,000 prize pool to upscale or kick-start their business.
“We are calling on founders, entrepreneurs, or people who have been talking about their business idea for years but just need a little push, to stand up and pitch their idea to the universe. And by universe, I mean social media,” says Grace Brennan, founder of Buy From The Bush.
Anyone is invited to join, with a low barrier for entry meaning there are few exclusions for anyone with a big idea. Participants are requested to send across 15 second Instagram reels with the hashtag #buyfromthebush and upload a three-minute video pitch to the site.
“Buy From The Bush started as an Instagram account showcasing the beautiful things available to buy from rural communities facing drought,” Brennan explained.
“I wanted to support other big ideas from the bush and give other innovative rural businesses the chance for their ‘big break’. It’s only natural we’d use social media as a channel to make entering easy and accessible.
“It may be a mere seedling of an idea, a proof of concept or an existing bush business that needs a little boost to get to the next level. We are looking for creative ideas that have strong market potential and will deliver positive outcomes to local rural communities”.
Brennan will be joined by a panel of notable judges who will use their business expertise to review and select the top entries, including Jane Cay, founder of Australian fashion brand birdsnest, Liandra Gaykamangu, founder of Indigenous swimwear brand Liandra Swim, and Marco Steinhauer, Finance Director at PayPal Australia.
Entries will be judged on how effectively the pitch tells the story of their idea, the uniqueness of the idea, commercial appeal and market potential, whether the idea will have a positive impact on the local community and the capability of the founder.
The panel of judges will then handpick the top 10 entries who will be invited to submit a short-form business plan and pitch their idea to the experts for their chance to win the top prize of:
- $30,000 to start-up or scale
- Free access to the Buy From The Bush marketplace for one year
- Membership to the BFTB Bush Business Club on Facebook
- A Digital Marketing Accreditation grant,
- PR Package from The Regional PR Co,
- Subscription to an online course and mentoring with Start Lab.
The runner up will receive $15,000 and the Australian public will also have the chance to vote on the top 10 entries for a People’s Choice prize of $15,000, via buyfromthebush.com.au.
Entries are now open until 12pm on Monday, October 11.
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