The contest will provide opportunities for the participants to draw the attention of possible investors to their business ideas, find partners, carry out their projects and make success in business. Besides, the participants will be able to assess their abilities, make contacts with representatives of the St. Petersburg business community, acquire the valuable experience of business communication.

The 8th YDP contest will be conducted in three stages:

• At the first stage, the jury comprising representatives from investment companies and trusts, banking institutions, large companies will select the most interesting business ideas. The major selection criteria include the novelty, feasibility and social significance of the business ideas sent in for the contest.
• At the second stage, the authors of the selected projects will be provided with consultations as to how to present their business plans, how to reshape their projects so as to draw investments.
  
• At the final stage of the contest scheduled for May 2003, 10-15 authors will be able to appear before the jury personally, making 5-10 minute long reports on their business ideas and answering the questions of the jury. The finalists will be also able to use visual aids, etc. in presenting their projects.

Then the jury will determine the best business ideas, the authors of which will be granted awards and diplomas from the organizing committee.

If you want to participate in the 8th YDP contest, just send in a concise resume of your project to the RENA economic news agency. If your business idea meets all selection criteria, you will be invited to the next stage of the contest. Students of all kinds of specialties with projects in all fields - technological, humanitarian, etc. - are eligible for participation.

Investors assess projects from various viewpoints - suitability, technical and financial feasibility, profitability, etc. As a rule, the most attractive are the ideas promising real profits. So it is advisable for the participants to have well-thought business plans, especially the well-thought financial, technical and marketing sections of the business plans.

Each of the contestants is offered:

• 5-10 minutes to present their business ideas
• he possibility to use demonstrational materials (placards, diagrams, samples of products)
• the audience of some 200 representatives of various companies
• a copy of the booklet containing the projects of the Young.

More details about the YDP contest and the YDP club are available by the telephone number:(+7 812) 310 9239 RENA PR-Manager Marina Vlasova