CPS Student Selected as a Semi-finalist in New Venture Competition

June 3, 2019
2 men, one woman in the center, all in suits, semifinalists in competition

Zhanar Kubekbai (CPS ’20), center, with her World Brand Center teammates, Saparbek Nagashibekov (SEAS '19), left, and Arman Yeskarayev (GWSB '19), right.

Congratulations to Zhanar Kubekbai (CPS ’20), a semi-finalist in GW’s New Venture Competition (NVC). Her team made it through the most competitive field ever in the history of the competition, with 90 judges from around the world whittling down the field from 216 teams to the top 36. Twelve semi-finalists were identified in each of the three tracks.

Zhanar Kubekbai (CPS ’20) is a Strategic Public Relations student in the Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) whose proposal was selected as one of twelve semi-finalists in the New Venture Track.

According to the NVC website, this track includes “commercial ventures including: services, products, or businesses that take a unique approach to solving an opportunity in the market while driving substantial market impact.”

Ms. Kubekbai, an international student from Kazakhstan, submitted a project called World Brand Center with Saparbek Nagashibekov (SEAS '19), Mirambek Nagashbekov and Arman Yeskarayev (GWSB '19). It is an e-commerce project, serving as an online marketplace, where people from developing countries can buy world famous brands more easily.

"It was a golden opportunity and valuable experience for our team. From the first semester in GW, I realized how lucky I am and how many new doors I can open while being here. The combination of where I came from and what I had made of myself gave me the chance to be in the semi-final from the first attempt. Also, I would like to add that this is only the starting of the journey. Now we are participating in every affordable event that relative to our startup and sending our application in every competition that is suitable for us. I hope next year I will share with you the great news that our team can make it into the finals and win this New Venture Competition," said Kubekbai.

More information about the 2019 New Venture Competition semifinalists and winners