February 20, 2013 – The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is accepting applications for the 2013 edition of the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award, which offers a grand prize of $100,000.

A second prize, consisting of $25,000 in consulting services, will be awarded to the BDC Young Entrepreneur Award runner-up. The deadline for submitting applications is April 2, 2013, at noon Eastern Daylight Time. The contest is open to all Canadian entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 as of December 31, 2012. Entrants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents responsible for the daily management of a Canada-based business for at least two years as of December 31, 2012, and must hold at least 20% of the company’s capital stock.

Applicants are asked to create a short video describing a turning point their business has reached and the solution that will help them achieve future growth. This video—which need not be professionally produced—should clearly explain the turning point solution, have good image and sound quality and be memorable. All entries have to describe a project that has yet to be implemented.

“The value of participation goes beyond the monetary value of the award,”  said Michel Bergeron, SVP marketing and public affairs at BDC. “The entire experience brings finalists tremendous exposure, public support, and access to people and resources that will ultimately help their companies grow. As impressive as the monetary awards may be, a better reason to compete is to get noticed by potential customers and investors.”

Applications must be filled out and submitted ONLINE, where you will find more information on eligibility criteria, the application process, rules and regulations, and the format of the video submissions.