For the nation’s creative, innovators, and aspiring social entrepreneurs, it is time to dust off the ideas book and step onto a pitching platform.

The Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation (FCEF), Business Link Pacific (BLP) and Business Assistance Fiji (BAF) have announced the launch of BizPitchComp 2023.

The competition will provide a platform for those with inventive business ideas to pitch their projects at the 2023 Top Executive Conference (TOPEX) in November, in the presence of about 400 business delegates.

Business concepts must fall under one of three categories: innovation, inclusiveness and climate change.

The winner in each category will receive $7000 and all shortlisted applicants will receive BAF support in preparing a business plan.

FCEF president Vinay Narsey said: “This is an initiative, never done before, to engage and entice the private sector to support core financing for innovative and solution-based business ideas.”

BAF and BLP general manager Ramesh Chand says the collaboration “serves as a shining example of how collective efforts can pave the way for a brighter, more resilient future, where the spirit of innovation and inclusiveness thrives”.

Applications for BizPitchComp 2023 will be available online on all partner platforms as of today.

Applications close on November 6, 2023.