What is YBM?
Young Business Masterminds (YBM) is an English Presentation Contest that allows teams of university students to showcase their English presentation skills and pitch their ideas to address a real corporate problem. Each year, the YBM organizers partner with a company that is looking for innovative and creative ideas to address a problem they are facing. The corporate partner and problem will vary from year to year and will focus on an issue such product development, customer service, product marketing, or any other area of business. Tackling the introduced problem will not only provide students with opportunities to foster their 21st century skills, but also help the company come up with new and innovative solutions to their struggles.
YBM 2024 Corporate Partner and Problem
Coming Soon
ROAD TO THE SEMIFINAL AND FINAL AT KINDAI UNIVERSITY
❶ Register Your Team Online (by 5/1)
-Register your team between January 1st, 2024 and May 1st, 2024.
-Check to make sure all of your team members are eligible to participate in the contest.
❷ Virtual Round Submission Deadline (by 5/31)
Each team will create and submit a written summary and a 5~6 minute video that summarizes the content of your presentation in English. The deadline to submit this video and written summary is May 31st, 2024. A link to the submission page will be sent to each team that registers. Carefully follow the written summary and video submission guidelines to be considered for the semi-final.
❸ Semi-finalists Announced (by 6/15)
Submissions from the Virtual Round will be evaluated by YBM judges and 40 teams will be selected to participate in the semifinal at Kindai University. A list of the teams selected for the semifinal will be sent to all of the participants on or before 6/15.
❹ Payment Deadline for Semi-finalists (6/28)
Successful teams that are invited to participate in the semi-final need to pay the team participation fee of ¥11,000/member. This fee includes contest participation, lunch on July 13th, entry into the evening Global Networking Gala on July 13th, and access to the Global Career Fair. An invoice for payment will be provided at the contest.
❺ Semi-final and Final Round at Kindai University on July 13th
On Saturday, July 13th, the 40 teams invited to the semifinal will deliver an 8~10 minute presentation followed by a question and answer session about their presentation. After evaluating the presentations and answers to the judges questions in the semi-final, the YBM organizers will select six teams to participate in the final round on the same day.
-Register your team between January 1st, 2024 and May 1st, 2024.
-Check to make sure all of your team members are eligible to participate in the contest.
❷ Virtual Round Submission Deadline (by 5/31)
Each team will create and submit a written summary and a 5~6 minute video that summarizes the content of your presentation in English. The deadline to submit this video and written summary is May 31st, 2024. A link to the submission page will be sent to each team that registers. Carefully follow the written summary and video submission guidelines to be considered for the semi-final.
❸ Semi-finalists Announced (by 6/15)
Submissions from the Virtual Round will be evaluated by YBM judges and 40 teams will be selected to participate in the semifinal at Kindai University. A list of the teams selected for the semifinal will be sent to all of the participants on or before 6/15.
❹ Payment Deadline for Semi-finalists (6/28)
Successful teams that are invited to participate in the semi-final need to pay the team participation fee of ¥11,000/member. This fee includes contest participation, lunch on July 13th, entry into the evening Global Networking Gala on July 13th, and access to the Global Career Fair. An invoice for payment will be provided at the contest.
❺ Semi-final and Final Round at Kindai University on July 13th
On Saturday, July 13th, the 40 teams invited to the semifinal will deliver an 8~10 minute presentation followed by a question and answer session about their presentation. After evaluating the presentations and answers to the judges questions in the semi-final, the YBM organizers will select six teams to participate in the final round on the same day.
Schedule for 7/13 Semifinal & Final Round at Kindai University
9:00 am ~ 9:30 am: Registration
9:30 am ~ 10:00 am: Contest Overview Explanation Session
10:00 am ~ 10:10 am: Each Team Moves to Their Semifinal Presentation Room
10:10 am ~ 11:30 am: Semifinal Presentations
11:30 am ~ 11:40 pm: Teams move to lunch location
11:40 pm ~ 12:50 pm: Networking Lunch with company representatives
12:50 pm ~ 13:00 pm: Teams move to the Practical Science Hall for the Final Round
13:00 pm ~ 14:30 pm: Final Round
14:40 pm ~ 15:10 pm: Company Explanation Session ①
15:15 pm ~ 15:45 pm: Company Explanation Session ②
16:00 pm ~ 17:45 pm: Results / Closing Ceremony / Photos
17:45 pm ~ 18:15 pm: Walk to Kintetsu Nagase Station
18:15 pm ~ 18:30 pm: Take the train from Kintetsu Nagase station to Kintetsu Uehonmachi station
18:30 pm ~ 18:45 pm: Walk to the Sheraton Miyako Hotel near Uehonmachi station
19:00 pm ~ 21:30 pm: Attend the Global Networking Gala at the Sheraton Uehonmachi station
9:30 am ~ 10:00 am: Contest Overview Explanation Session
10:00 am ~ 10:10 am: Each Team Moves to Their Semifinal Presentation Room
10:10 am ~ 11:30 am: Semifinal Presentations
11:30 am ~ 11:40 pm: Teams move to lunch location
11:40 pm ~ 12:50 pm: Networking Lunch with company representatives
12:50 pm ~ 13:00 pm: Teams move to the Practical Science Hall for the Final Round
13:00 pm ~ 14:30 pm: Final Round
14:40 pm ~ 15:10 pm: Company Explanation Session ①
15:15 pm ~ 15:45 pm: Company Explanation Session ②
16:00 pm ~ 17:45 pm: Results / Closing Ceremony / Photos
17:45 pm ~ 18:15 pm: Walk to Kintetsu Nagase Station
18:15 pm ~ 18:30 pm: Take the train from Kintetsu Nagase station to Kintetsu Uehonmachi station
18:30 pm ~ 18:45 pm: Walk to the Sheraton Miyako Hotel near Uehonmachi station
19:00 pm ~ 21:30 pm: Attend the Global Networking Gala at the Sheraton Uehonmachi station
Who is Eligible to Apply?
Students (excluding research students, short-term international students and non-degree students) enrolled in universities, graduate schools, junior colleges, vocational colleges or technical colleges of four years or more.
Who is not Eligible to Apply?
-Students whose mother tongue is English.
-Students who have studied in an *English speaking country for more than 13 months.
-Students who have studied at an international school or a foreign university in Japan or abroad for more than 13 months.
*English-speaking country in the eligibility criteria refers to a country where English is a first language or official language.
Students (excluding research students, short-term international students and non-degree students) enrolled in universities, graduate schools, junior colleges, vocational colleges or technical colleges of four years or more.
Who is not Eligible to Apply?
-Students whose mother tongue is English.
-Students who have studied in an *English speaking country for more than 13 months.
-Students who have studied at an international school or a foreign university in Japan or abroad for more than 13 months.
*English-speaking country in the eligibility criteria refers to a country where English is a first language or official language.