British Airways launches business opportunity grants

UK's premier air-carrier, British Airways today announced the launch of the 'British Airways Business Opportunity Grants' pan-India, which aims at helping India's growing number of SMEs (Small and Medium-Size Enterprises).
    
The initiative is a part of the airline’s commitment to keep entrepreneurship alive and to help stimulate local business.

"British Airways is in the business of connecting people globally and we are aware that the key to building successful long-term business partnerships is through face-to-face meetings. This is the best way to grow long-term relationships in business," British Airways country manager (India), Judy Jarvis, told reporters here.

The airline hopes that the initiative would help over 13-million Indian SMEs to enhance their revenue and also help their strategic growth plan, Jarvis said.

The grant offers winning companies the opportunity to travel overseas and conduct face to face business meetings and could help in stronger partnerships, new projects and revenue for the India SMEs.

A group of independent judges would select the 50 winners, whose entries are the most apt and original, from among the eligible online submissions. Under the grant, 50 SME companies would be awarded grants giving them free travel for one year to help support their business and seek out new opportinities.

British Airways Business Opportunity Grant winners will be awarded 10 return British Airways Club World business class tickets, amounting to around Rs11 crore which can be used throughout 2010, the airline said.

The initiative comes in the wake of a recent study conducted by the Harvard Business Review Analytical Services, which revealed that 89% of leading international business persons were of the opinion that face-to-face meetinngs are essential for "sealing the deal."

Former Indian skipper, Saurav Ganguly, Mumbai's Sherrif, Indu Shahani, Confederation of Indian Industry's Western Region's deputy chairman, Arun Nanda, and management guru and columnist, Suhel Seth, were also present on the launch.