UAE's Young Design Entrepreneurs celebrated by British Council

The British Council is now inviting applications, demonstrating entrepreneurship and business success, from young UAE professionals (25-35 year old Emirati nationals or UAE residents) who have three years' experience working in architecture, product design manufacture, or design promotion.

Michel Bechara, Director of Projects at the British Council in the UAE, commented:

"IYDE is distinguished from other design awards, and is unique in rewarding entrepreneurial ability. The IYDE winner will not simply have an impressive CV but also the qualities and vision to be a potential leader in the UAE design sector,"

The British Council's International Young Design Entrepreneur is awarded in partnership with 100% Design, the world's most important contemporary interior design exhibition presenting the latest in furniture, lighting and accessories, and the UK's premier contemporary interiors event for the contract market.

The UAE winner will join 8 other international finalists for an all-expense-paid trip to the UK, in mid-September 2009. As with previous years, the 2009 programme will be developed with UK partners, and will take the finalists to London, Glasgow and Belfast to meet leaders of the UK design sector.

The programme will comprise visits to designers, design-lead retailers and manufacturers, and institutions active in the procurement of design and architecture; the Design Council, the Design Museum, the University of the Arts London (Enterprise Centres), The Lighthouse (Scotland's national centre for architecture and design), the Glasgow School of Art, and various successful design firms (including Timorous Beasties, SCP, and a private master-class with leading design entrepreneur - previously Sir Terence Conran, and Tom Dixon).

The UAE has a rich record in various IYCE awards, with competent participation of successful entrepreneurs from the Fashion (Rabia Z. - UAE winner of the IYFE in 2007), the Visual Arts (Khalil AbdulWahid - UAE winner of the IYVAE in 2008) and the Publishing (Suhaila Al-Awadhi - UAE winner of the IYPE in 2009) industries.

The International winner of the IYDE award 2009 will receive GBP 5,000.00 project grant to partner and develop business links with the UK. The deadline for applications is Saturday July 18th 2009.

IYDE is one of a range of International Young Creative Entrepreneur (IYCE) awards, designed by the British Council to celebrate the achievements of young entrepreneurs across the creative industries, and make a significant contribution to their ability to access international markets.

IYCE includes recognition schemes for entrepreneurship in Fashion, Communications, Screen, Performing Arts, Music, Interactive, Visual Arts and Publishing. Definition of a creative design entrepreneur. For the purpose of this awards programme we are defining creative entrepreneurs as follows; Somebody working in the design industry who

• is able to demonstrate business success in the classic terms of business growth (profit, market share, employees) and/or in terms of their reputation (quality and aesthetic) amongst their peers.
• has developed a successful (in terms of impact and reach) social or not for profit enterprise in this sector.
• has shown leadership in the industry by championing its development in their country.
• has developed initiatives (exhibitions, trade fairs etc) that develop and grow the market for design in their country.