Join the HAF
Could your business do with a kick-start? Or do you have a great idea but not the financial means, insights or network? Then join the kick-start trail with the ‘Hayo Apotheker Incentive Fund’ and get that financial boost that can make the difference for you as a student with a business. And there's more! On your trail to success, we'll stop off for events so that you can spar with others and fine tune your ideas and business further. The best part is that everyone on the trail takes home a souvenir! And for the three best ideas and businesses there’s a top prize of €2,500 and a second and third prize of €1,000 and €500.
The kick-start trail is a Center for Entrepreneurship initiative.
How to win?
There are only 35 spots available to participate in this amazing kick-start trail. To win one of the spots, send us a pitch by video in which you show why you want to participate in this trail and tell us about your future entrepreneurship. Do you get selected? If so, you will have the chance to win a nice boost in the form of funding, a cheque and/or knowledge.
What’s on the kick-start trail?
The trail stops off for a number of events where we work together on your idea or business. We'll tackle problem-solution fit, business modelling, pitching and branding and you’ll find inspiration from other businesses and coaches and get advice straight from the field. And during the pit stops, you'll of course get plenty of opportunities to network, meet over drinks and have a bite to eat. The full trail programme and the event dates are given below.
What can I win?
The best ideas and businesses will have a chance of winning:
- A first prize of €2,500
- A second prize of €1,000
- A third prize of €500
You can invest your prize however you like in your business[TK1] . Whether it's buying the best software or helping to finally rent those offices you've had your eye on for so long. Anything goes. It's up to you how you invest in your business.
There are also 35 cheques worth up to €125 to be earned by collecting coins as you work through the trail. For each event you attend, you earn a coin ( or even two!) worth €12.50. You can then use your cheque to buy something for your business simply by sending your business invoice to the Center for Entrepreneurship. With 40 prizes on offer, it means everyone has a chance to win – but there's only one business that will blaze the trail with the €2,500 prize.
What else can I win?
Along with the top prize and the glory, you'll also learn a lot. During the events, we’ll help you take your ideas or business to the next level. Check out the benefits you’ll get:
- In case you’ve missed it: you can win a financial boost for your business.
- Various coaches from industry join us at each event so that you can ask all your questions
- It’s a great way of expanding your network. You’ll meet like-minded people during the HAF trail and naturally form a community
- You’ll automatically be part of the CfE community – definitely a win-win situation, don't you think?
Who's the trail for?
Have we convinced you to join the HAF trail and win a kick-start prize from the Hayo Apotheker Incentive Fund? Brilliant! The trail is open to any NHL Stenden student wanting to give their business or business idea a boost. Whether you're studying nursing or accountancy, already have a business or just have a good idea, you can apply to join.
See the previous finalists here
How do I join?
You can register to participate here for the next trail. There are only 35 places on this adventure and to get a place, you'll need to send in a pitch telling us about your ideas for your business and why you want to join the trail. After the closing date for applications, we’ll get in touch with you if you've been selected and announce the full programme.
Kick-start team
The kick-start trail is organised by the Center for Entrepreneurship, but it is the kick-start team that chooses who wins the top prizes. The kick-start team includes, of course, our chair Hayo Apotheker, ex-mayor of Leeuwarden and ex-member of the NHL Stenden Executive Board, along with members of the Center for Entrepreneurship, the student advisor for the Executive Board and a previous trail winner, as well as a leading local entrepreneur.
Questions and applications
If you'd like to know more or you have any questions, we'd love to help. Feel free to call in at the CfE in Leeuwarden or Emmen, or email your queries about the Hayo Apotheker Incentive Fund to kickstarttrail.cfe@nhlstenden.com. If you're keen to take part, then make sure you apply (in advanced). If you want a reminder for when applications open, register your email using the form below.
FAQ
Yes! When you're in business, you know that there's always room for improvement or something that can be tweaked. We'll make sure you too can get new inspiration and insights on the trail, as well as a little extra financial support.
If you can't be at all the events, you'll earn fewer coins, so your final cheque will be lower – but you'll still have a chance of winning one of the top prizes. The jury does take your attendance at the events into account, however, and you need to meet certain conditions in order to be eligible for the top prizes. The jury also looks at how you’ve developed during the kick-start trail, which is why it’s a good idea to go to all the events. And of course, to be eligible for one of the top prizes, you need to first get through the pre-selection on Pitch Day.
Yes. You get a certificate of participation. If you add it, for instance, to your LinkedIn profile, it'll help show off your business skills.
- Some study programmes will accept the trail as the equivalent of 45 working hours, so you could earn 2 ECTS credits for free activities. NB You need to check this with your Study Coach before you join the trail as not all study programmes offer this facility. The learning outcomes you could use include:
- The student learns to present themselves
- The student gains knowledge of social issues
- The student explores innovations and tools to achieve this
- The student takes part in teamwork
- The student learns about Lean Model Canvas and Business Model Canvas
- The student gets 360-degree feedback
- The student holds a pitch
- The student learns how to network
- The student learns about sales and acquisition
You can always register (in advance) for the next edition. Would you like to participate too? Then leave your e-mail address here.
You attend the HAF trail events in person but the weekly consultations are hybrid so you can follow them in person or online. The trail events are in person as they form part of the community building and help us learn from each other. Experience shows that this means taking part in person is a must.
For the HAF, the working language is English, but that doesn’t have to be a problem. Even if you’re not completely at home with English, you can still do all of the trail. We can speak Dutch, but the trail events will be given in English, and the pitch for the jury and in the finals need to be in English. Fortunately, there’s plenty of time for you to prepare and practice giving your pitch in English.