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College Student from Bali Wins Top Honors, First Prize in Global Entrepreneurship Competition
21-year-old Indonesian entrepreneur Ni Kadek Karina Dewi surpasses 1,350 other competitors to take first place in EO’s 2024 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards
3 July, 2024, Alexandria, VA: The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) proudly announces Indonesian student, Ni Kadek Karina Dewi, as the Global Champion of the prestigious Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) for 2024. This accolade recognizes exceptional student entrepreneurs who have successfully built and managed their own businesses while enrolled in university studies. Karina’s achievement comes with a cash prize of US$50,000., funded by the nonprofit Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
Ni Kadek Karina Dewi was revealed as the winner during the season finale of ‘Start It Up’, which premiered on YouTube on 28 June. Start it Up is a six-part docuseries produced by EO, which travels around the world to spotlight some of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs who are building businesses while enrolled in higher education. This unique series takes a closer look at the lives of the student entrepreneurs in the final stage of EO’s Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) --from semi-finalists to finalists-- and the stories behind their inspiring start-up businesses. Ni Kadek Karina Dewi a second-year Economics Major at Universitas Pertamina in Jakarta, Indonesia, was raised on the island of Bali as a farmer’s daughter. In ‘Start it Up’, she explained how she is the first in her family to attend college, and how those experiences taught her about the urgent food security challenges facing South Asians in future. In 2022 she founded BioGhum, an innovative solution designed to offset carbon emissions while generating new revenue streams for Balinese farmers. BioGhum makes briquettes for cooking and heating from sorghum farming waste. BioGhum’s process results in a more sustainable source of fuel as it results in a carbon footprint 28 percent lower than conventional forms of charcoal.
2024 GSEA Global Champion, Ni Kadek Karina Dewi from Indonesia
The runner-up in the 2024 competition is India’s Nishkarsh Srivastava, the 22 -year-old founder of Findr, an AI assistant that can answer questions, find information, and write documents powered by your apps and workplace knowledge. Findr browses your apps for you to generate direct responses to all your queries. It eliminates the need to search for links and documents freeing you from the trouble of switching between multiple apps to find your information. As the runner-up Nishkarsh was awarded a cash prize of US$25,000 to invest in his business. The second runner-up is Natã Eduardo Ourives de Vargas, 24, from Brazil, founder of LimbX is redefining the field of bionic and myoelectric prosthetics by combining 3D printing technology and electronics with a commitment to better accessibility and higher quality. Natã was awarded US$15,000.
The global finals were held in Cape Town, South Africa, where the mini-series was recorded in May. Finalists presented their businesses to two rounds of judges. The final round of judges included last year’s Global Champion and founder of Hollo Medical, David Hodgson of Ontario, Canada, EO Global Board Chair Jamie Pujara, award-winning communicator and co-founder of Coupleness Jenny Holmström, Dutch Professor of International Law and Founder of Lima Ventures Resat Volkan and South African Founder of Dire Wolf, Arlene Steyl.
Top six student finalists with the judges
A unique aspect of EO’s judging process in these student awards is the weighting of scores: 70 percent of a judge’s score is based on each entrepreneur’s vision, grit and values, ahead of their actual businesses, while 30 percent is based on the business concept and strength.
“These student entrepreneurs are not just aiming to build successful businesses—they are committed to making a positive impact on their communities and the world at large. I am proud EO supports initiatives like GSEA that nurture the talents and ambitions of young entrepreneurs. Their creativity, drive, and commitment to making the world a better place are truly inspiring,” said incoming Global Chair for FY24-25 and GSEA judge Jamie Pujara.
The GSEA program supports student entrepreneurs who require much-needed mentorship, recognition, and connections to take their businesses to the next level of success. A distinctive aspect of this competition is that top finalists are mentored by business founders and EO members to help them succeed in their businesses.
Applications are now being accepted for the 2024-2025 competition. More information can be found on the Global Student Entrepreneurs Awards website.
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Notes to editors
Photos and logos available upon request
About EO
The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is the world’s largest membership network exclusively by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs everywhere. Since 1987, EO has been supporting the world’s leading builders of business to realize more of their potential by fostering connections, applying leadership skills, and creating belonging across industries and borders. More than 19,000 entrepreneurs in 80+ countries make up EO’s network of leaders, who enjoy local and global membership experiences that go beyond the business to support the whole entrepreneur. For more information or to get involved, please visit www.eonetwork.org
About GSEA
The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards is the premier global competition for university students. Each year, more than 1,000 student entrepreneurs from 34 countries compete for the title of Global Champion and the chance to build their business and gain recognition for their innovation. GSEA was founded at the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University in 1998, and has been hosted, funded and judged by members of the nonprofit Entrepreneurs’ Organization since 2006.For more information visit: https://www.gsea.org/
GSEA 2024 by the numbers:
1,357 total student applications were received across EO chapters and Friends of GSEA program worldwide.
- Asia Pacific Region – 113
- Europe – 111
- Latin America and the Caribbean –141
- Middle East, Pakistan and Africa – 292
- North and South Asia – 533
- United States and Canada –167