The Competition

The Alaska Marketplace brings together visionaries, financiers, technical experts and entrepreneurs in an ideas competition that promotes new organizational concepts which employ innovative ways of delivering and selling products and services, creating jobs, increasing revenue, driving economic development and serving our communities in rural Alaska.

Innovators are invited to submit an Innovative Idea Application describing their unique ideas for creating jobs, stimulating village economies and bettering our communities. Proposals are evaluated by a group of private and public sector professionals based on the following evaluation criteria:

1) cultural heritage
2) economic stimulation/job creation
3) innovation
4) sustainability/profitability

The innovators with the most promising proposals become finalists and receive entrepreneurial training and business plan coaching to refine their concepts.

Innovative Idea Application forms are available online prior to each competition. Finalists are required to submit a detailed implementation plan for their project, then showcase their ideas at the Alaska Marketplace event. A world-class panel of experts grant award money to each of the innovators judged most likely to turn their ideas into action.

The Alaska Marketplace was created to draw from, inspire and encourage the development of viable and sustainable businesses and organizations by tapping into the creative passions, cultural knowledge and enthusiastic drive of Alaska's residents.