At first there was nothing but a feeling that something was missing. Something huge and influential! Something like… Entrepreneurship Competition (EC).

Soon, in 2004, an idea of the contest was implemented by EF SA and for the very first time Lithuanian students of Economics and Management were enabled to demonstrate their entrepreneurial skills. After kickoff EC drew a great deal of attention from diverse companies and universities though the contest still needed to expand its horizons.

EC‘05 was turned to an international event as students from whole Baltic Sea region were in a position to participate. Consequently 5 foreign teams (out of 12) profited by this occasion and even one of them, the Priit team from SSE Riga, came out on top

Next year the progress was prolonged and a few vital alterations of the contest were introduced to competitors. Growing public interest allowed the contest to be held in a conference hall instead of VU premises as well as participants were accommodated in exclusive hotels. Together with these changes, EC took its actual form and principles. Every four-member team was supposed to bring out such key skills as logical way of thinking or speculation outside the box while carrying out three particular tasks. The results of the first one, producing essay, was one of major criteria of picking out Top12. Then selected teams took part in the main event where simulation game and case study put them to the test. Finally, points were counted and the winners were cleared up. Once again the first place of EC’06 captured team from SSE Riga.

EC has always been pursuing more prestige and improvement of the contest. Doubtlessly, in 2007 the contest drew near to this goal as a wide range of 30 teams took their shot in the registration. The opening of EC was held in the Le Meridien Villon hotel. Later the case study was presented the Sampo bank and the competition was brought to a close at the Šarūnas hotel. Finally, a commission comprised of such qualified members as Raimondas Kuodis, Remigijus Šimašius and etc. singled LT from LV (students of SSE Riga: Arvydas Žiobakas, Aurimas Račas, Vaidotas Lašas, Justas Grigalauskas) out of others and awarded them the first place. One more team of SSE Riga (the captain Andrius Žiūraitis) deserved to be the runner up while team from VU (the captain Dovilė Naktinytė) was presented with the third place.

The next year’s event, Entrepreneurship Competition 2008, showed the best performance ever from the very beginning to the end. The smooth online admission with almost fourty candidate teams, new and refreshing lectures and extremely competent participants are the tag names of this contest. The main event was held in the Panorama hotel, where fourty eight students spent four unforgettable days. After visiting the opening day with valuable lectures, twelve teams crossed their swords in a new and challenging CESIM simulation. The next day brought the Case Study task and exciting presentations, which were assessed by a jury made up of such remarkable people as Mindaugas Gumauskas, CMO of Čilija, and Jonas Čekuolis, a politician. Finally the counted points cleared the winners of EC‘09, which turned to be the Google me please team (Goda Januškevičiūtė, Rūta Janavičiūtė, Karolis Urbonas and Tautvydas Stukas). Also VU_EF_4 got the second place, and the third was United Diversity. Although previous EC contest ended with applause, the organizing staff continued improving the contest.

With new inventions ECV’10 seeks to be one of the most significant entrepreneurial events in Europe. Therefore it will support many talents to come under spotlight, while companies would stand a great chance to find future promising employees.

Entrepreneurship Competition Vilnius 2010: changed to be the best!