LONDON, September 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
In a close competition, Team India has emerged as the winner of the 2017 Enactus World Cup.
Enactus is an international non-profit dedicated to inspiring students to take entrepreneurial action to improve the lives of others. The Enactus World Cup is an annual event featuring the best social innovation projects created by the top university and college teams from 36 countries, qualified from 1,700 campuses and 72,000 student participants around the globe.
Enactus Team India, represented by Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, was named Global Champion for Project Raahat, which aims to increase sanitation in slum communities of urban Delhi, and Udaan, an initiative that empowers women to operate computer centres in rural India to promote skill development and increase awareness of economic opportunities.
The final round of competition also featured Enactus teams from Puerto Rico, Canada, and Kyrgyzstan, with Canada taking second place.
Team Canada, represented by Memorial University of Newfoundland, launched a hydroponics-based social enterprise that increases food security in Canada's far north. Team Puerto Rico from University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon, developed a program that teaches entrepreneurial skills to students in public schools to drive the state's economic growth through the next generation of leaders. Team Kyrgyzstan, represented by Kyrgyz National University, is using business innovation to increase communities' access to alternative energy sources.
Learn more about the competing teams and their projects at enactus.org/worldcup/meet-the-teams.
The Ford Motor Company Fund also announced that the four Enactus finalist teams will receive a total of $90,000 in the new annual Ford Better World Award, recognizing excellence in social impact, with $50,000 USD going to Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies and the Enactus country of India.
"Ford Motor Company Fund is always on the lookout for transformational ideas that make people's lives better through innovation and access," says Jim Vella, President, Ford Motor Company Fund. "The outstanding student teams competing at the Enactus World Cup are turning this vision into reality and are a shining example of the power of social entrepreneurship to change lives and transform communities."
Unilever received the Global Champion Award for their 30-year commitment to Enactus.
Additionally, Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever, was awarded the Enactus Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, which is presented to individuals who exemplify the transformative power of the entrepreneurial spirit by applying their talents, passions and business innovation to achieve exceptional success in business, while enabling greater progress for people around the world.
In his acceptance speech, Paul Polman, CEO Unilever said, "You have decided by virtue of your commitment to Enactus, to put yourself to the service of others. My appeal to you is to lead a life of purpose... a plan for people, peace, prosperity and the planet."
KPMG, the presenting sponsor of the Enactus World Cup for the past 22 years, renewed their commitment for the next three years.
"We couldn't have been more pleased to welcome the world to London for this inspiring event," says Andrew Bacon, CEO, Enactus UK. "The city of London has endured a lot of heartache this past year, and the Enactus World Cup is a great reminder that when we unite for positive change, everybody benefits; everybody wins."
The next Enactus World Cup will take place 9 - 11 October 2018 in Silicon Valley, San Jose, California.
Enactus is an international organization dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. The Enactus experience transforms both the lives of the people the projects serve, and in turn, the lives of Enactus students as they develop into more effective, values-driven leaders. Founded in 1975, today Enactus has more than 72,000 student participants on over 1,700 campuses in 36 countries. For more information visit http://www.enactus.org.
Enactus World Headquarters, Jennifer Falzon, +1-416-315-2099, jen@enactus.ca
