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Calling Creative, Wellness-Minded Students for
2017 GWS “Shark Tank of Wellness” Student Global Competition
The Global Wellness Summit invites wellness-inspired, entrepreneurial students to pitch
the most innovative – and viable – wellness concept; $10,000 in prize money
to be awarded to top three finalists at 2017 conference in Palm Beach, FL, USA (Oct 9-11)
Miami, FL – March 14, 2016 – The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), an annual gathering of international leaders to positively shape the future of the $3.7 trillion global wellness economy, announced submissions are now being accepted for the 2017 “Shark Tank of Wellness” student competition. Last year marked the successful debut of the new Shark Tank-style competition, attracting over 70 entries from 17 countries, all vying to be one of three finalists to compete for a total of $10,000 in prize money.
The contest is open to university students (undergraduate or post-graduate students are eligible) around the world and submissions are being accepted until May 15, 2017. Students are required to submit a written application along with a short video highlighting an innovative concept, product or service for the wellness industry. The top three finalists, and their professors, will be flown to the 2017 GWS at The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL, USA to compete for $10,000 in prize money (1st prize $5,000; 2nd prize $3,000; 3rd prize $2,000). Full rules and regulations can be found on the Global Wellness Summit website.
Students will be judged on the business viability of their concept, which can serve any aspect of the wellness spectrum – from technology to architecture to spa design – by a panel of real-world wellness experts who will question the students in front of a live audience of over 500 executive business and thought leaders in global wellness.
Returning sponsors of the “Shark Tank of Wellness” competition, include Chiva-Som International Health Resort (Thailand), ESPA (UK), Iredale Mineral Cosmetics (USA) and ResortSuite (Canada). The GWS also welcomes new sponsors, Jacqueline Piotaz Switzerland and Circadia by Dr. Pugliese (USA). Executives from each company will serve as “Wellness Sharks.”
“The success of the inaugural ‘Shark Tank of Wellness’ competition was overwhelming and truly underlined just how has global ‘wellness innovation’ really is,” said Susie Ellis, GWS Chairman and CEO. “Whittling the field down to just three finalists is a huge, but extremely gratifying, challenge – and I know both the GWS team and our “wellness sharks” are looking forward to reviewing this year’s thought-provoking and inspirational entries!”
There is no fee to enter. In addition to the prize money, airfare and hotel accommodations, all three finalists and their professors will attend the three-day conference, including all general sessions, breakout discussions, industry forums and gala social events (a USD $3,080 value; limit one student and one professor per team).
Last year’s top prize of $5,000 was awarded to Shahrin Ali Raivi from North South University, Bangladesh, for Mukto Sanitary Napkin, a concept to make sustainable sanitary napkins accessible to the 80% of women throughout Bangladesh who currently rely on unsanitary and ineffective options, including sand, leaves, mud and unsterilized rags. Shahrin’s concept makes use of left over materials from the country’s cotton industry. Two runner-ups, Regina Tarany and Svejetlana Radakovic, both from IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, Austria, received $2,500 each and their concepts, including “TreatAdvisor” and “Spa Watch.”
The Global Wellness Summit attracts leaders from every sector of the wellness industry: spa, hospitality, tourism, beauty, fitness, nutrition, finance, education, environment, medicine, architecture, workplace wellness, wellness communities and technology.
For more information about the opportunity to support wellness innovation through the sponsorship of the 2017 “Shark Tank of Wellness” competition, contact Michelle Gamble.
To learn more about the 2017 GWS, visit: https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/2017-summit.
About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) is an invitation-only international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $3.7 trillion global wellness economy. Held in a different location each year, Summits have taken place in the U.S., Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico and Austria. The next will be held at The Breakers, Palm Beach, Florida from Oct. 9-11, 2017.
