Maruti Suzuki: Ready to think big?

WagonR Think Big Challenge 2 will conduct multiple tests at each stage to check the skill-set needed to execute business ideas.

Indian automobile giant Maruti Suzuki has launched WagonR Think Big Challenge 2, an initiative to promote entrepreneurship. The challenge invites entries for unique business ideas from across India.

The campaign will begin with online registrations of business ideas from 19 cities. Ten participants will be selected from each city, based on the business proposals submitted by them. One winner from each city will be selected in the main city round. The 19 winners from the cities will make it to the zonal round, while four participants from each zone will make it to the national round.

These aspiring entrepreneurs will be mentored by management gurus and will be judged by an exclusive panel at each step of this campaign. The winner of this challenge will be presented with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a WagonR and a venture fund to set up the business.

Speaking on the initiative, Shashank Srivastava, chief general manager, marketing, Maruti Suzuki India, says, "This is a unique platform for winners to present their ideas to investors for seed capital."

Participants can send in their entries by sending SMSes, registering on the website and submitting a hard copy of the form at the dealers. All these steps will carry weight in the final scores.

The company will conduct multiple tests at each stage to check the skill-set needed for taking the business ideas to execution. Mentoring sessions will also be conducted to help these candidates to present their business plans properly, before they meet the venture capitalists.

Through various stages in the activity, the company is looking out for big ideas, smartness, passion, leadership and marketing skills.

The competition is being promoted through television commercials, radio spots, print ads as well as online, using a Facebook page and a dedicated website (www.wagonrsmartideas.com). All these feature WagonR's brand ambassador, actor R Madhavan.

The bank partner for the initiative is IDBI bank, while the media partners are The Times of India, CNBC-TV18 and Radio Mirchi. The knowledge partner is Indian Angel Network (IAN). Times Red Cell will manage the activity.