Through this annual event young creative entrepreneurs from 10 transitional countries compete for the chance to participate in a weeklong tour of the UK’s creative industries. The visit includes arts showcases, business seminars, personal contacts with leading creative figures, and an international competition to win a financial grant to develop collaborative project with the UK.

This project helps countries identify their most talented creative champions, acts as catalyst for their professional development by connecting them with UK’s best practice and facilitates future partnerships and exchange between countries’ creative entrepreneurs and the UK.

Indonesia’s first participation for both the music and design Entrepreneur Awards in 2005/2006 was a resounding success. Backed by Indonesia’s professional associations and media partners, the competition drew hundreds of applications from Indonesian creative entrepreneurs across the country and as far afield as Germany and the Middle East.

Yoris Sebastian, Hard Rock Café Jakarta’s General Manager and President of IP Entertainment artist management, won the consolidated prize in the UK for his Goliath proposal. The project, to be delivered with support from UK music experts in 2007/2008, will train Indonesia’s established musicians to become the next generation top talent scouts, producers, and managers of their own industry’s burgeoning young artists.  

UK design experts also praised Ridwan Kamil, principal architect of the Urbane design firm, as “ambitious and impressive” in his attempt to bring Indonesia onto the international stage. Upon his return from the UK, Ridwan is to develop his Good Design is Good Business award with initial support from Indonesia’s architecture and construction industries associations. The award aims to recognise designers and companies, which purposely utilise innovative design to grow their business by enhancing the customers’ experience.

So impressed was the UK panel of juries by the quality of Indonesia’s creative champions that Indonesia is now the only country in the world to be invited for all four of the next Young Creative Entrepreneur Awards in music, design, film and fashion in 2007/2008.