Passion to Empire Campaign winners gets N3.5million- Microsoft

ITRealms:

Winners of the Microsoft Mobile Devices and Services Entrepreneurship Initiative, “Passion to Empire Campaign” at the prize presentation ceremony at Intercontinental Hotel Lagos, smiles home with N3.5million each, including skills and acquisition training sessions at the Enterprise Development Center (EDC) in Pan African University, ITRealms reports.

ITRealms gathered that the 5 winners, Daniel Isa, Emmanuel Ugwueke, Emmanuel Okena, Godwin Benson and Jessica Yahaya, all made it through the top 15 contestants, whose business ideas the judges could not push aside.

The judges, ITRealms gathered, made up of top Nigerian beauty entrepreneur, Tara Fela-Durotoye, CEO Chocolate City Group, Audu Maikori and Co-founder, Jobberman, Opeyemi Awoyemi, had an uphill task short listing for the Top 30.

Mrs. Tara spoke to ITRealms on behalf of the Judges, “Lots of the ideas came from technology, but we also saw ideas from the Agriculture sector and services industry. Initially, the idea was to select the Top 15 to pitch their ideas; however, there were some good ones we could not push aside. The truth is that, Nigeria has a bright future with the kind of minds that we interacted with during the campaign.” She said.

ITRealms also gathered that General Manager, Microsoft Mobile Devices & Services, Mr. Joseph Umunakwe, expressed satisfaction at the successful completion of the event, noting that the campaign is a demonstration of Microsoft’s commitment to helping Entrepreneurs translate their business ideas into reality.

“At the core of Microsoft is productivity. We are continually investing in building devices that enhance productivity to better lives. We are passionate about helping Entrepreneurs build capacity that sets them apart from their peers. Though, these five contestants won the prize money with the crop of young creative minds that entered for the competition and the wonderful ideas shared so far, the future is bright and I must say they are all winners in their own right.” He said.

He further stressed that, aside the prize money presented and the training program at the EDC of the Pan Atlantic University in Lagos, Microsoft under the ‘Cloudprenuer’ project would be offering Top 1000 technology business the opportunity of taking advantage of its cloud service at no cost.

Some of the winners who expressed their joy to ITRealms said that the cash prize would go a long way in helping them actualize their life time goals.

ITRealms learnt that seven of the 1^st runners-up were also rewarded with training sessions at the Centre.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

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