The VIII everis Foundation Awards closed the Call for Entrance by presenting a total of 105 projects, 83 for the Entrepreneurs category and 22 for the Essay Award.

The jury will evaluate the proposals for the Entrepreneurs Award made by the Director of Corporate Resources and Institutional Relations of Acciona, Carmen Becerril,  the Technical Committee Chairman of the IBEX-35 and President of the Innovation Park of La Salle, Blas Calzada, and the director of  “Capital” magazine, Consuelo Calle and Secretary of State for Research, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Carlos Martínez Alonso. This prize, worth a total of €60,000, encourages the emergence of new entrepreneurs supported by renowned academics or university lecturers and facilitates the financing of business projects that meet the criteria of innovation, feasibility and benefit to society.

The award jury comprises the director of the National Library, Milagros del Corral Beltrán, the General Director of the Culture and Environment Centers of Social Works of Caja Madrid, Elena Gil Garcia, KPMG Spain partner, Elena Pisonero Ruiz, and the editor of “Lid Editorial Empresarial”, Juan Marcelino Elosúa. These prizes, carrying a financial award of €30,000 (€24,000 to the winners and €6,000 to the runners-up) are for projects which review and analyse policy issues arising in today’s business world, a novel way of looking at the role companies play in the dynamics of social change.

In collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Madrid, the foundation has created the Chair of Process Improvement in the Ibero-American Region and works on the creation of La Salle Innovation Park together with the University Ramon Llull, the IMADE of the Community of Madrid  and Madrid Engages, an agency of the Madrid City Hall.

everis Foundation present the VIIIth Edition of the Entrepreneurs and Essay Awards at an official ceremony held on 7 October 2009 and attended by the former prime minister, Felipe González and the minister of education, Ángel Gabilondo.

The institution, founded in 2001 and presided over by former minister Eduardo Serra, firmly believes in these awards as a means of helping to increase awareness and identification of new opportunities that benefit society.

The event was held on 7 October 2009 at the Casino de Madrid, Calle Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.