SIR RICHARD BRANSON CALLS ON AN INSPIRING LINE-UP OF ENTREPRENEURS TO HELP HIM SELECT THE WORLD’S BEST IDEAS FOR SCREWING BUSINESS AS USUAL
An inspiring line-up of judges was announced on Monday 16th April for Virgin Unite and Sir Richard Branson’s Screw Business As Usual competition. The panel of judges, including Sir Richard, consists of Jane Tewson (Igniting Change), Creel Price (Founder Accelerate Global), Peter Boyd (COO, Carbon War Room), Tony Banks (CEO, Balhousie Care Group), Mark Thompson (serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist) and Joe Polish (Founder and President of Piranha Marketing Inc).
The Screw Business As Usual competition, launched in November 2011, was designed to find ideas from around the world that are truly screwing business as usual and making the world a better place.
Some of the ideas that made the competition included:
· The world’s most ethical Football
Soccket – an amazing football that harnesses and stores energy as it’s played for later use as a power source in resource-poor areas
· Travel in ‘Thinking Class’
Forget First class and Standard Class, an idea to introduce a ‘Thinking Class’ for air and train passengers to opt into, where passengers can donate their time and generate ideas through a virtual community platform
· The world’s most ethical Pants
A lingerie company called Who Made Your Pants? based in Southampton who buy fabrics that have been sold on by big underwear companies at the end of season and stop them ending up as waste and turn them into gorgeous new pants. They also think that it’s not really on for anyone to be made to work in bad conditions just for a cheap pair of pants – they make the pants in a great place and create jobs for women who’ve had a hard time.
· The world’s most sustainable Surf Brand
Rapanui – an eco-fashion brand worn that makes casual wear in line with the latest trends from sustainable materials (worn by Russell Brand)
· A World WITHOUT Offices – A radical idea to create a world WITHOUT offices, to give people their freedom and lives back, help reduce the amount of CO2 impacting global warming, happier people, with more community and family values
· Turning the world’s talents into donations
The first and only online marketplace that enables individuals to leverage their skills, talents, and creativity as a force for good. Anyone can offer to
do a small service or task for £5 and the proceeds go to support non-profit organisations
· Reforest while you PARTY!
Reforestation Festivals – an idea that combines the fun of festivals with hands-on reforestation activities and designed to inspire a reforestation domino effect across
festivals around the world
Sir Richard Branson and this great group of entrepreneurs will be responsible for judging the Top 10 ideas, as voted by the public. The winning idea will be announced on 14thMay 2012. The lucky winner will join Richard on a money-can’t-buy Connection Trip to South Africa with Virgin foundation, Virgin Unite. As part of the prize, the winner will get to meet frontline leaders who are making a difference, share ideas with young entrepreneurs at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship and get to spend several days with Richard and the rest of the group, experiencing the beautiful wildlife of South Africa at Ulusaba, Sir Richard’s private game reserve.
The contest is open until midnight on Tuesday 17thApril 2012, so there is still time to vote for your favourite idea to help find the winner of the 2012 Screw Business as Usual competition. See all the ideas at http://virginunite.screwbusinessasusual.com
