The Merrill Lynch – I Create National Business Plan Competition for participants from four regions of India will be held in Kolkata on Thursday, January 29, 2009 at the Mini Auditorium, Science City, JBS Haldane Avenue, Kolkata.

At the event, the 12 finalists, all between the age group of 17-22 years, from the local and regional business plan competitions conducted in Kolkata, Vadodara, Bengaluru and Jaipur will present their business plans. The plans cover a wide variety of businesses, including Recycling organic waste, Vehicle rentals, Candle making to setting up an Event Management firm.

The National Winner will receive an all expense paid trip to New York, USA for the NFTE International Award Ceremony and cash award/seed money to start his/her own business.

The first ever Merrill Lynch-I Create-NFTE India comprehensive program for entrepreneurship/financial education commenced in 2007. The program objective is to educate and motivate students to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career option, and equip them with the requisite financial as well as business planning skills given that a good Business Plan, is a core document for running a successful business. The program is funded by the Merrill Lynch Foundation.

The National Level Business Plan Competition is being held for the first time in Kolkata.

The business plan competitions and entrepreneurship training program commenced in June 2008 and the second batch of students (of the total 3000 planned over a three year period in West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan ) successfully completed a 40-hour entrepreneurship/financial education program for 2008. The program relied on Merrill Lynch’s award-winning Investing Pays Off curriculum, created in partnership with NFTE and adapted for use in India.

The Local and Regional Business Plan competitions for 2008 have been held for participants from schools, colleges and NGOs where I Create Inc. and its affiliate have their operations, namely, West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan. These program and competition give the students a first hand exposure to the business world and will help them take their first steps as an entrepreneur.

This year the regional and local business plan competitions were held in conjunction with NFTE during the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) celebrated worldwide during November 17 to 21, 2008. I Create is the official India affiliate of GEW and NFTE is a sponsor of GEW.

Additionally, the participants receive recognition and certificates and winners receive cash awards, seed money to start their businesses at various stages of the competition. Top teachers at the program too will be recognized.

About I Create: I Create, a not for profit organization and is dedicated to entrepreneurship development through education, training, follow up activities, mentoring and counseling. It has four Regional Centers in India: West Bengal, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka and an affiliate center in Maharashtra. I Create was founded in 2000. I Create’s US partner, the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE, USA), is also a not-for –profit institute that helps youth to build businesses. I Create was awarded the Social Entrepreneurship of the year in 2007 by the US Indian American Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC, USA.

About Merrill Lynch’s Philanthropy: Merrill Lynch was founded on the idea that the world is full of opportunity. Opening the door to that opportunity for underserved children and youth is the focus of the firm's global philanthropy. In 2007, Merrill Lynch giving totaled almost $44 million, with education receiving nearly half of that support. Around the world, Merrill Lynch programs are providing better access to educational opportunities for those who need them most, specifically in the areas of youth financial education, entrepreneurship and global citizenship. Through the dedication of our employee volunteers, free educational resources at http://philanthropy.ml.com, and financial support, we are leveling the playing field for millions of young people to compete and succeed in the global marketplace.