Justin Chircop has won the fifth Best Business Plan (BBP) competition, organised by JCI Malta in partnership with HSBC Bank Malta and KPMG.

The Lm1,000 prize was awarded for his proposal to create a company named “kowledgepot.com”, a website offering university theses and project work for viewing and purchase.

The runners-up prize of Lm250 went to Rachel Caruana for her proposal to launch the Honda Electrasol, a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly car that produces zero emissions.

Both prizes were presented by HSBC Personal Financial Service head Godfrey Swain and KPMG Corporate Finance partner David Caruana.

The winner’s business plan will now submitted as the official JCI Malta entry in the International Best Business Plan of the World Competition organised by Junior Chamber Internation-al (JCI).

The winner of the overall JCI Best Business Plan of the World Competition will receive a $5,000 cash prize as start-up funding, as well as an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2006 JCI World Congress to be held in the South Korean capital, Seoul.

“JCI Malta’s Best Business Plan Competition once again attracted a good number of high quality submissions. This clearly highlights the entrepreneurial talent that exists among Malta’s youth, a talent that we would do well to harness as our economy continues to change and develop,” said JCI Malta President 2006 Elaine Tabone Adami.

Participation was open to all Maltese residents aged between 18 and 40. Whereas similar business plan competitions are organised in Malta, the JCI BBP Competition is open to individuals as well as groups and enables competition on an international dimension. However, the principles remain the same – to promote entrepreneurs in action.

On behalf of the organisers, JCI Malta said it would like to thank its corporate members, HSBC Bank Malta and KPMG Malta, for their support with this year’s competition, as well as all the other BBP participants for their contribution.