A highlight at the annual Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the Shark Tank of Wellness global student competition gives three university students a life-changing opportunity to network with the top visionaries and business leaders in wellness. Three finalists will be flown to the 2023 GWS being held November 6-9 in Doha, Qatar, to pitch their wellness business idea to a panel of Wellness Sharks who are top business leaders and investors in wellness. The Wellness Sharks will ask questions of the students, who will defend their innovations and make a business case for its feasibility on stage in front of the hundreds of attending Summit delegates—a “who’s who” in the global wellness world from over 50 countries.
The top three finalists, along with their professors, will be flown to Doha, Qatar, to attend the Global Wellness Summit, November 6-9, 2023, a priceless opportunity for students to mingle and network with global visionaries, and perhaps even find an investor for their business idea. The first-place winner will receive $5,000; second place will win $3,000; and third place will win $2,000.
Prizes:
- First Prize: One (1) first-prize winner will receive US$5,000.
Second Prize: One (1) second-prize winner will receive US$3,000.
Third Prize: One (1) third-prize winner will receive US$2,000.Total value of all prizes is US$10,000.
Additional noncash prizes include airfare and hotel accommodations in Tel Aviv, Israel, for the top three student finalists (individual or team leader) and their professors. Also included is access to the three-day Summit (a $4,560 value), including all general sessions, breakout discussions and industry forums, featuring global industry leaders. A myriad of social events and a final evening gala are included. This is a priceless opportunity to meet and learn from global visionaries.
Eligibility:
- The competition is open to both individual students and teams of students over the age of 18 from anywhere in the world. There is no entry fee. Note: If participating as a team and the team is chosen as one of the top three finalists, only the team leader will be eligible to attend the Global Wellness Summit with their professor.
- The participant(s) must be an undergraduate college or university student (working toward a one- or two-year diploma, a four-year Bachelor’s degree, or a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification) or a graduate/postgraduate student (working toward a Master’s, MBA, JD, MD or PhD degree) in a university or college of distinction at the time they develop and submit their concept.
- The participant(s) must be either a full-time or part-time student at the university or college.
- The participant(s) must have a professor or faculty advisor who serves as a mentor for their project.
- All contestants must be available to attend the 2023 Global Wellness Summit, November 6-9, in Doha, Qatar, to present their idea in person.
Judging Criteria:
There will be three (3) rounds of judging.
- Round 1. All eligible entries will be judged by the Sponsor. Entries will be judged on the following criteria, which will have equal weighting: (i) project innovation (20%); (ii) visual appeal or design (20%); (iii) relevance and importance to the wellness industry (20%); (iv) viability as a business (20%); and (v) quality of presentation (20%). All entries will be ranked based on overall score, and the Sponsor will select up to twenty (20) entries (based upon ranking) as semi-finalists who will then advance to round 2 of the judging.
- Round 2. All semi-finalists will be judged by a panel of “wellness sharks,” who are leading experts in the wellness field. This panel will select three (3) finalists (“Finalists”) based upon the same criteria as in Round 1. Each finalist (including their Mentors) will be invited to the 2023 Global Wellness Summit held in November 2023 in Doha, Qatar. If any Finalist comprises a group of students, only the team leader/Entrant will be eligible to attend the Global Wellness Summit and be invited to Doha.
- Round 3. The Finalists will present their Contest Submissions in person on stage during the 2023 Global Wellness Summit in November 2023 to the wellness sharks in front of the assembled delegates. The wellness sharks will choose a first, second, and third place winner based upon the overall inperson presentation of each Finalist, including the ability of each Finalist to defend their Contest Submission under questioning by the wellness sharks. Judges’ decisions during rounds 1, 2, and 3 will be final and binding in all respects.
Entries will be judged on the following criteria, which will hold equal weight:
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- Project innovation
- Visual appeal or design
- Relevance and importance to the wellness industry
- Viability as a business (customer/market analysis and competitors)
- Quality of the project presentation
Judges’ decisions are final.
