We asked past participants this question, and here are the top answers as to why THEY joined:
1. Validation:
It's a chance to get your idea(s) validated by real entrepreneurs and investors. Is there real meat to your idea and business plan, and how would you get there? Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?
2. Great exposure and learning opportunity:
It's an experience that you would never have gotten in school. Last year, our contestants had the chance to visit Facebook's office in Singapore, heard from serial entrepreneurs and inspiring speakers, and met fellow entrepreneurs from all over Asia.
Many of our previous students have said they learned more in our program than the rest of high school combined. In addition to the raw content and core skills, you will learn how to take initiative and approach challenges, which will serve you for the rest of your life.
3. It doesn't end at the competition:
If you leave a strong impression but don't win, you might still be able to receive funding and mentorship anyway. Last year, 2 finalist teams did not receive an award during the Finals. But post-Finals, they continued to make good progress on their businesses and ended up getting admitted to the Founders Bootcamp program and continue getting mentorship and funding anyway!
4. It seems cool:
You're treated like adult founders, you pitch like adult founders, you're part of this cool start-up thing that's all the rage right now. It's pretty cool. And if you make concrete progress on your startup and produce a polished pitch, that would look VERY impressive on your resume, independent of how you perform in the competition. Colleges, employers, and investors tend to highly value real world experience. (The co-founder of Founders Bootcamp sits on the admission committee of MIT and interviews university applicants, so hear it from him).
Not everyday would you get the chance to be treated and viewed on par as a young adult - where your ideas are worthy of being invested in, and not dismissed. There's a group of entrepreneurs and investors ready to invest their time and money in you - if you go for it - so why wouldn't you?
You decide.