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Wellness Entrepreneurs of the Future Called to Compete in the GWS “Shark Tank of Wellness” Student Competition
Top three finalists will be hosted at the Global Wellness Summit in Tel Aviv and compete for $10,000 in prize money; submissions accepted until July 15
Miami, FL – March 31, 2020 – The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy, today announced that it is now accepting student submissions for its fifth annual “Shark Tank of Wellness” competition. The contest is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students (18 years and older) around the world; entries will be accepted now through July 15, 2020.
Contestants will vie for $10,000 in prize money, with the first-place winner receiving $5,000, second-place receiving $3,000, and third-place $2,000, which can be used toward kick-starting their business concepts. The top three finalists will be announced mid-August.
Entries will be judged on their viability and can serve any aspect of the wellness spectrum, including architecture/design, beauty, education, fitness, hospitality, medicine, nutrition, real estate, spa, technology, workplace wellness, tourism, etc. The finalists will present their concepts to a panel of “Wellness Sharks” who will question them in front of an audience of 600+ business and thought leaders at the 14th annual Summit in Tel Aviv, Israel, taking place from November 10–13, 2020.
“It’s so fitting to host our 5th annual Shark Tank-style student competition in Israel, which is also known as ‘Start-up Nation.’ Entrepreneurialism is in Israel’s DNA—with 6,000+ start-ups, the country is second only to Silicon Valley when it comes to innovation and invention,” said Chief Creative Officer & Executive Director Nancy Davis. “The students will have a particularly rapt and receptive audience!”
Chiva-Som (Thailand) is among the returning sponsors of the competition, and Karen Campbell, a business development director, will be among the “Wellness Sharks” at the 2020 Summit. Campbell said, “Chiva-Som loves the enthusiasm of our young innovators and is delighted to be part of creating a platform where their aspirations can be showcased.”
In addition to Chiva-Som (Thailand) returning as a sponsor, both Hyatt (US) and ResortSuite (Canada) will also return. Executives from each sponsoring company take to the stage as “Wellness Sharks.”
In 2019, the first prize winner was Jazmin Darling, from Georgia’s Savannah College of Art & Design, for her WEL organic organizers, which are designed to increase the longevity of fresh produce while stimulating healthy eating habits through visualization. Runners-up included Matthew Payne for RU Wellness Straw, a reusable straw with biodegradable flavor capsules to encourage hydration, and Simon Lewis for Enfuze Home Goods, a product that infuses the stress-relieving benefits of CBD into the home and clothing.
Student participants are asked to submit a Concept Submission Form detailing their viable business idea and a one-to-two-minute video presentation.
Images can be found here.
For more information about the opportunity to support wellness innovation through sponsorship of the 2020 “Shark Tank of Wellness” competition, contact Michelle Gamble: [email protected].
About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit is an invitation-only international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy. Held in a different location each year, Summits have taken place in the US, Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Singapore. The 14th annual Summit will take place in Tel Aviv, Israel, from November 10–13, 2020.