British America Tobacco Logo British America Tobacco Logo
Battle of Minds Octagonal Shapes Mobile
Battle of Minds Logo

Battle of Minds

Global Internship Competition

What are you made of?

Enter Competition

Competition Closes

43

5

43

53
NOW

Don’t join
the competition.
Be
the competition.

Global Battle of Minds is back – across more locations than ever! This time, we’re looking for even bolder, more innovative and strategic business ideas that have the potential to transform perspectives. Do you have what it takes?

Competing against students and graduates from across the globe, you’ll enter a unique and developed business idea as an individual, before going on to our team round later in the competition. Pick one of our suggested briefs, or surprise us by choosing your own industry and coming up with a totally original solution that you believe would transform it.

Don’t join the
competition.
Be the
competition.

Global Battle of Minds is back – across more locations than ever! This time, we’re looking for even bolder, more innovative and strategic business ideas that have the potential to transform perspectives. Do you have what it takes?

Competing against students and graduates from across the globe, you’ll enter a unique and developed business idea as an individual, before going on to our team round later in the competition. Pick one of our suggested briefs, or surprise us by choosing your own industry and coming up with a totally original solution that you believe would transform it.

win big competition text inside of octogan

This is your opportunity to win an incredible internship that could take you to the other side of the world. This is how you get there:

Local country
competition
round.

  • First, you’ll tackle our local country stage as an individual.
  • Submit your entry online between 17 September and 25 October 2019.
  • Gain additional points during voting between 5 November and 12 November.
  • Best entries will earn you an internship opportunity in your local country and invitation to the regional competition round.

First, you’ll tackle our local country stage as an individual. Submit your entry online between 17 September and 25 October 2019. Gain additional points during voting between 5 November and 12 November. Best entries will earn you an internship opportunity in your local country and invitation to the regional competition round.

Regional
competition
round.

  • This time you will compete as part of a team.
  • The challenge for this stage will be announced on 2 January 2020, with presentations taking place during January and February 2020 via the advanced video technology, TelePresence, or in person.
  • Demonstrate as a team your collaboration skills, your ability to adapt and your team’s way of working and get a chance to compete in our global competition round.

This time you will compete as part of a team. The challenge for this stage will be announced on 2 January 2020, with presentations taking place during January and February 2020 via the advanced video technology, TelePresence, or in person. Demonstrate as a team your collaboration skills, your ability to adapt and your team’s way of working and get a chance to compete in our global competition round.

Global
competition
round.

  • Make it to the final stage of our global competition and enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to London from 30th March to 3rd April 2020.
  • Use your learnings from the previous stages to showcase your skills.
  • Win an internship of your choice in any of the countries taking part in this competition.

Make it to the final stage of our global competition and enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to London from 30th March to 3rd April 2020. Use your learnings from the previous stages to showcase your skills. Win an internship of your choice in any of the countries taking part in this competition.

What's the prize?

There are several prizes to be won throughout the competition.

Local winners image representing prizes available

Local winners

Win at this stage and get a personal invitation to meet our people and senior leaders at our local offices.

Our top three winners will win an incredible local internship and their own piece of tech – a pair of Bose headphones.

These three winners are then put into a team for our regional round and will enjoy the opportunity to gain expert mentorship in order to succeed.

Regional winners image representing prizes available

Regional winners

The three winning teams of this round have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly to London and take part in the global finals.

Enjoy everything London has to offer. We will pay for your flights and acommodation at the global finals and you will receive travel vouchers to the value of £250.

And finally, receive mentorship from the best experts in the business.

Global winners image representing prizes available

Global winners

At this final stage, our one global winner is chosen.

Participants of this team have the opportunity to choose to do their internship at global offices in any of the countries taking part in this competition – almost anywhere in the world!

Choose a challenge

This year, we want you to use your innovative thinking and commercial mindset on a challenge you’re passionate about. Follow our lead and choose a challenge to tackle, or create your own challenge and solve a problem you’re passionate about.

Transforming Industries

We’re on a mission to find the minds that will transform our industry. For the better. Yours could help us innovate and lead where we go next. But first, let’s put it to the test.

Show us how you’d give your business the competitive edge and capture your customers’ imaginations. Show us a robust business plan, insightful market research, product development, marketing strategy (including digital marketing), a supply chain that delivers and numbers that add up.

Join all the dots and we’ll get the full picture of just how good you are.

Choose from:

  • Automotive Advances
  • Digital Banking
  • Retail Renaissance
  • Choose your own

The automotive industry will be totally unrecognisable in 50 years.

The automotive industry will be totally unrecognisable in 50 years. That transformation has already begun. The big car manufacturers are investing heavily in electric vehicles to solve the problem of pollution, whereas assisted driving systems in cars are improving safety by preventing collisions. Pretty soon, self-driving cars will dominate the roads, meaning we will merely have to say our destination and let the car do all the work – delivering complete luxury and convenience. Beyond that, all kinds of new vehicles are popping up on the scene, from hoverboards to motorised unicycles. What can you add to the mix? It could be a practical means of transport or a vehicle built for sports/leisure, but it should have unique features and be targeted at a specific consumer audience.

Entering the competition

Octagon One

See if you're eligible

Yes, if you live in a participating market* and are aged over 18 (20 in Japan and Uzbekistan). You’ll either currently be studying for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or have graduated no more than a year ago. If you are joining from any country, other than Russia, please click here.

Age restriction image Age restriction image
Explore countries here
Octagon Two

Meet Criteria

Your entry should be a detailed business plan covering:

Market Research Product Development Marketing Strategy Supply Chain Financial Projections

These can be in your local language or English (later stages will be English only) via video (an m4p or mov file, three minutes and 500MB maximum) plus a supporting document (PDF, doc or docx file) of 2,000 words max.

MP4, PDF icons
Octagon Three

Make your entry count

Impress us by showcasing all your skills. Pack your entry with personality. Show us you’re innovator, influencer, inspirational communicator.

Demonstrate this by telling your supporters, friends and family to vote for your entry at the Battle of Minds hub between 5 and 12 November. Share it via social media too; reach out to your audience.

MP4, PDF icons

Success here means you could be one of our three regional finalists presenting, in person or via videolink, in the first two weeks of February.

The next stop for winners of this stage will be London.

Airplane Icon
Octagon Four

Remember the deadline

We’re open for entries between

Calender Icon

Remember competition will be fierce so use every opportunity to ‘wow’ us.

How will your idea be judged?

Competition entries will each be judged on the six core areas every real business plan needs to be considered high quality.

Strength & originality of idea

How creatively does your idea solve the unique needs of its audience?

Depth of research

Is your idea based on a solid understanding of your market from a customer and competitor point of view?

Business feasibility

Do you have a realistic business model that could successfully operate in your market?

Business plan quality

How well have you considered how to fund your business and projected its profitability?

Marketing of idea

How have you branded your product and what marketing channels have you used?

Presentation skills

How confidently and articulately have you pitched your business plan in your video entry, and face-to-face in individual and team presentations?

You will also be awarded extra points by judges at different stages of the competition based on:

local online judging information
local judging information
regional judging information

Go for it

Sign up now for the chance of a lifetime to impress at the highest levels of one of the world’s biggest businesses. Do well here and you could launch a fulfilling career that impacts millions of consumers as you transform our industry.

We want you to do well. Sign up for hints, tips and advice today for the best possible outcome. Be sure to check spam emails to ensure you don’t miss out.

ENTER COMPETITION