(PRESS RELEASE) — Martin Hanna continues to make strides in the technological and entrepreneurial spheres as he has been selected to attend the Entrepreneurship World Cup in November 2019.
The 20-year-old resident of Rodney Bay is the founder and CEO of Penny Pinch, a digital savings platform allowing businesses to connect to shoppers via cashback, coupons and rewards. With Penny Pinch, Hanna will take on the best and brightest entrepreneurs worldwide, hoping to impress the judges and captivate investors around the globe.
The Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) is an international competition organized by the Misk World Forum in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network. It is for entrepreneurs from all over the world with all kinds of start-ups, whether in the initial, idea, or growth stage.
The competition delivers a total of USD$5 million in prizes, but also provides participants with new investment opportunities, as well as commercial connections and different forms of advice. The 118 winners each year receive three major global awards for entrepreneurs in stages of idea and growth, 15 awards in the global finalist stage that will include awards to social and industry-specific companies, and finally 100 national awards.
Martin was selected as the national finalist to represent St Lucia at the EWC, among 100 eligible entrepreneurs from 100,000 entries worldwide and will compete in the early stage category. With that, he went through a virtual training process online gaining mentorship training. These top 100 entrepreneurs will pitch their business ideas at the EWC Pitch + Investor Boot Camp on November 9-10 at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
But Martin’s fortunes escalated, as on September 26 he received an email revealing that his Penny Pinch business idea had launched him to the top 15 making him a Global Finalist. As a global finalist, Martin will pitch his business idea on stage and vie for the best idea overall. He will also be inducted into the GEN Starters Club at an inaugural dinner on November 13 and throughout his visit have opportunities to meet investors and experience part of the inspirational Misk Global Forum.
The young entrepreneur is very proud and excited to be the first to represent St Lucia at the EWC. Earlier this year, he won the 2019 TEN Habitat Caribbean Startup Summit’s pitch competition. The flagship event held in Barbados on May 24 and 25, 2019 is an annual summit that brings together a global team of startup experts, founders and entrepreneur resource providers to develop starters in the region. His Digital Savings Platform “Penny Pinch”, captured the top spot at the summit’s “Pitch Pit”; convincing a high-level judging panel that his concept for online coupon marketing could revolutionize online retail shopping in the region.
Martin is excited about his plans for Penny Pinch, as his goal is to re-launch the application by year-end. As Saint Lucia’s Most Outstanding Youth in Innovation and Technology, Martin aspires to also capture various prizes at the upcoming Business Awards. A true proficient and competent businessman, he is also involved in marketing, graphic design, and photography.
(2)
(0)The post Martin Hanna to represent St Lucia at Entrepreneurship World Cup appeared first on St. Lucia News Online.