Final voting within the Takeoffs project begins

• More than 300 business novices took part in nine regional workshops
• Nearly CZK 7 million in prizes distributed
• 14 finalists will now compete to win the public’s favour

Prague, 5 December 2011 – Today marks the beginning of the final part of the Takeoffs for Start-Ups 2011 project. Until the end of January, internet users can cast their votes at www.idnes.cz/rozjezdy for the best, most appealing project which, thanks to the readers, will receive an additional CZK 100,000 from T‑Mobile to help its originator start his or her business. 

Nine stops in regions
In November, the team of Takeoffs 2011 jurors and lecturers took a tour around the regions of the Czech Republic, starting on 1 November in Brno and ending on 1 December in Prague. Expert partners gave lectures on marketing, the use of social networks, business communication and strategic planning. In one month, more than 300 business novices took part in the Takeoffs workshops. However, the support provided within Takeoffs does not end there: the originators of all competing projects (a total of 343 concepts) won an opportunity to consult their day-to-day problems with T-Mobile experts from different fields, from HR and law to PR, marketing and other areas. Consultants and lecturers as well as the jurors have participated in the project and provided – and will continue to provide – consultations within the project free of charge. 

“We – jurors and lecturers alike – have been surprised by the interest, inventiveness and sophistication of certain projects. Juries therefore had a really hard time when selecting the winners, particularly in the regions with the biggest number of competing projects: the Moravia-Silesia, South Moravia, Central Bohemia and Prague, where as many as 91 beginning entrepreneurs sent in their applications,” says Petra Pavičová, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at T-Mobile. 

“These small businesses are the driving force of the economy; they can quickly adapt to demand and offer the possibility of job creation. We are glad that there is a company that gives a helping hand to these businesses at the beginning and will provide them with advice so that they can concentrate on their core business activity,” adds Dan Jiránek, chairman of the Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic. 

Public voting for the most appealing business
Juries at regional workshops announced their favourites. When selecting winners, jurors took into consideration not only the potential profitability, perfect business plan and business quality of each project, but also its benefits for the local community, the reasons for starting the business as well as the originator of the project as such. 

More than CZK 7 million in prizes has been distributed. The originators of the second- and third-place projects received smart phones, notebooks and telecommunications and marketing packages worth more than CZK 100,000. The best regional projects were awarded prize packages in the value exceeding CZK 200,000. Winning a regional round also means participation in the final round, where the competing projects have a chance to win an additional CZK 100,000 in cash. 

The following businesses and concepts advanced to the final round:

• Barrier-free on-line learning (Lenka Holubcová, Prague; e-learning, advice centre for immobile persons)
• B-English (Barbora Novotná, Beroun; the first English-Czech pre-school in Beroun)
• Day care centre in Jedousov (Petra Votavová, Jedousov, Pardubice region; establishment of a day care centre)
• Zabavdite.cz (Milena Matuchová, Dvůr Králové nad Labem; tips for games and activities involving children, including those with certain disabilities)
• Beetle driving school (Markéta Pagáčová, Cheb; driving school fleet consisting entirely of Volkswagen New Beetle cars)
• Safari children's club (Liběna Kobuyambi Yeka, Plzeň; bilingual day care centre for pre-school children)
• English for kids (Jaroslava Dobroucká, Ústí nad Labem; English learning centre based on Helen Doron's principles)
• Restartskateboards (Turnov; manufacture of professional skateboards from Czech materials)
• T-shirts with original graphics  (Monika Holíčková, Sovinec; production and distribution of T‑shirts with hand-painted graphics  from the Czech Republic)
• One for All (Hana Toncrová, Zlín; a project to support civic and social life in communities in the Zlín region)
• Family honey farm (Pavel Samojlovič, Doloplazy; establishment of a large honey farm with one thousand hives)
• Dvojkola.cz (Marie Žvaková, České Budějovice; bicycle rental shop. In future, the business plan calls for offering tandem bicycles that could also be used as a rehabilitation tool for the blind.)
• Three Suns children's centre (Richard Pál, Brno)
• Remedial classes with Slávka (Jaroslava Peroutková, Chotěboř; teaching children with learning disabilities and other disadvantages)

From today until the end of January, internet users can cast their votes for their favourite project at this website, where they can also find detailed profiles of the competing projects and their originators.

Interesting prizes have also been prepared for voters, who can win handsets or tickets to the awards ceremony.

In addition to the Prize of the Public, the Prize of the Jury will be awarded at the national level. Both winners will receive an additional CZK 100,000 as financial assistance for starting their business. 

About the Takeoffs project
Organised by T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s., Takeoffs 2011 is the first annual edition of this project to promote small businesses. A total of 343 applications were submitted within the project (abridged abstracts of all competing projects are available at rozjezdyroku.cz.). More than 300 beginning entrepreneurs took part in the regional workshops. The total value of prizes that will be distributed among the winners will exceed CZK 7 million.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.