Villa College Business Society (VCBS) in collaboration with Faculty of Business Management has successfully hosted Business festival 2024, “Incubate for success”. The event was held on the 29th of January, in Villa College QI Campus Hall. The business festival was opened by The Rector of Villa College – Dr. Ahmed Anwar, accompanied by Associate Dean of Faculty of Business Management Dr. Ahsan Ahmed Jaleel, and senior staff of Villa College.

Our students, collaborators, and sponsors all play an important role in the success of this event. Dhiraagu served as the only Digital Partner, alongside Banking Partner Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB), Business Consultancy Partner Achievia Consultancy, and Investment Advice Partner Watercress Capital. In addition, Business Center Cooperation, Arctic Brews, Calibre Jewellery, Exness Traders Center, and the Chinese Language Center took part.
Moreover, along with these partners, business management students from Faculty of Business Management of Villa College studying Enterprise Project and Applied Marketing Practice participated in this festival. The Enterprise Project students pitched their business ideas that they came up with in their final year project to the general public and the Applied Marketing Practice students showcased their product concepts for the visitors as a tradeshow.

Furthermore, some stalls had fun and exciting games and lucky draws with exciting prizes throughout the festival, along with food stalls for the participants to enjoy.

President of Villa College Business Society Mr. Mohamed Jailam believes that this event is not just an academic obligation, but as something far greater. Every year business students create so many remarkable products and business concepts, only for them to vanish as simply a college project. Instead, he believes that this is an event where those incredible ideas are connected with the right people and industries so that the students can acquire investors and have networking opportunities to make these ideas into a reality. Every year and every semester he hope that the Business Festival serves as a launchpad for our passionate young entrepreneurs in their journey towards success.
Vice President of Villa College Business Society Ms. Azma Ibrahim has said that this has been a successful event which has opened up great opportunities for the EP and AMP students of Villa College. Some of the winners received exciting prizes which would help them in establishing their business ideas. This event set the standard for our next batch of students who would get motivated to participate in our next business festival. She would also like to express her heartfelt gratitude for all the partners and collaborators without whom this event would not have been complete.
A closing ceremony was held to award certificates for the Best Business Idea, Best Presenter and Best Product Concept. The Best Presenter and Best Business Idea award for Enterprise Project module, and The Best New Product Concept award for Applied Marketing Practice was handed over by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr. Hassan Miras.

Our Business Consultancy partner offered a modern corporate profile worth of MVR 11,500 to the winner of Best Product Concept in Applied Marketing Product. Moreover, chosen by a lucky draw, a 2 hour one on one consultancy session for IQ Crunch worth MVR 3,000 was also offered by Achievia Consultancy.
Our Investment Advisory Partner, Watercress Capital Investment, offered a listing in their investment catalogue which allows access to their pool of private investors and a potential investment. Additionally, a 1-hour consultancy worth MVR 3500 covering investment opportunities, financing instruments and legal compliance factors was won by our Enterprise Project student Hassan Mishal Juniaid.
The prize pool included a modern corporate profile worth MVR 11,500 for Best Presenter and a 2-hour one-on-one business consultancy session worth MVR 3,000: A consultancy session for new or existing businesses that need expert help to develop the business idea, test its feasibility, get ideas for expansion, discuss financing issues, human resource, marketing or operational issue for Best Product Concept by Achievia Consultancy. A listing in the Watercress Capital Investment Catalogue which allows access to Watercress Capital's pool of private investors and a potential investment, and a 1-hour consultancy session worth MVR 3,500 covering investment opportunities, financing instruments and legal compliance factors by Watercress Capital for the Best business idea.

Below are the details of the winners:

1. Enterprise Project
   ● Best Business Idea – Mishal Junaid


2. Applied Marketing Practice
   ● Best Product Concept – Chews Wisely
   ● Ahmed Shahudhaan Shareef
   ● Ahmed Nahil Nafiz
   ● Aminath Rabaab Ibrahim
   ● Maasin Musthafa
   ● Best Presenter - Shiura Amir

A lucky draw was taken among the visitors as well, with prizes that included Free 10GB data from Dhiraagu. The three lucky winners were Jailam, Eeman and Mohamed Joodh. In addition, Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) offered a chance to win a cash prize of MVR 1000 to the visitors who opened an account during the Business Festival. Three winners are to be chosen on their social media platforms.