UK’s Young Design Entrepreneur 2008

The British Council, with support from the Cultural Leadership Programme envisioned UKYDE award.

Entrepreneurs with passion for design and looking for innovative ways to move the UK design industry forward are welcome. People considering international business opportunities and looking forward to build their network should definitely participate. This award would help you to know more about the business of design in India.

To be eligible for the award, you must be aged between 25 and 35, have at least three years of industry experience and be resident in the UK. Applications close at noon on Thursday 14 August 2008.

You can download form

UKYDE is one of nine awards for young creative entrepreneurs that are being developed by the British Council with support from NESTA, the Cultural Leadership Programme, trade associations and professional bodies within the creative sector.

As part of their prize the winner and two runners-up will be invited to take part in a specially designed and tailored tour of the design industry in an emerging market – for the 2008 award this will be India.
The British Council in the UK are working with our colleagues in India and their local industry partners to create an appropriate itinerary to support the breadth of this opportunity. The visit will take place in January/February 2009. Precise dates and details have yet to be confirmed, however the basic details are as follows:

Why India?
The tour will provide a real insight into the industry in one of the world’s fastest developing and most dynamic economies. With a steady 9.2% annual GDP rise, a middle class of a quarter of a billion, and an established design scene growing around leading institutions like the National Institute of Design in Ahmedebad, India’s potential as a market cannot be overlooked. The tour will open the door to India’s design industry, from the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedebad, India’s equivalent to the Royal College of Art, to the thriving design scenes of Delhi and Mumbai or Bangalore.

What will the tour consist of?
The tour will take the group to Delhi and Ahmedebad. It may also include either Bangalore or Mumbai. The group will meet leading figures from the design industry in India, including members of the British Council network of young design entrepreneurs, and have the chance to learn first hand about how business is done there. The tour will comprise meetings, workshops, talks, and tours – delving into all areas of the design industry: graphic and multimedia, interiors and architecture, industrial and furniture designers, etc. The tour will allow participants to develop their international understanding and skills,and identify potential business opportunities for their company/organisation in the Indian market.

What is included?
• Return economy flights (if you wish to stay on after the tour has ended it may be possible for us – given enough notice – to issue tickets with a later return date. Please note, however, that the awards programme only provides support during the period of the tour, so any additional accommodation or other expenses would be payable by you directly and we are unable to assist in making other bookings outside of the tour programme.)
• Visa – we will cover the cost of the Indian visa, please note however that you must provide the requisite supporting information to allow the visa to be issued.
• Accommodation for duration of tour
• Subsistence at our standard India rates
• All transport within India during tour
• Full tour itinerary organised and looked after by British Council staff throughout

I was wondering can we introduce similar awards for Indian Nationals visiting abroad. What do you say?