The design could be just a visual or a combination of slogan and a visual, which will be ultimately printed on t-shirts or coffee mugs. So if you want to unleash the creativity in you and are between 18 and 35 years of age, send your designs at the earliest.

Or if you think you are a better writer, you could take part in the essay contest by sending in an 800-word strategy essay on ‘Encouraging Social Entrepreneurship in India’. One winning entry for both the contests gets a prize worth Rs. 5,000 each. Winners will be featured in a unique talent on www.creADivity.com.

Email: modulator@creadivity.com

Details about the challenge can also be got from

http://thecreADivityblog.wordpress.com

The start-up is led by Sitashwa Srivastava, who works with a leading MNC in Bangalore, with inputs from Shalabh Srivastava (a management consultant in Delhi), Pradeep Sonthalia (working with a private equity firm in Delhi) and Amit Gupta (a techie with an IT firm in Kolkata).

It started during Sitashwa’s Management days at Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM). For the elective course in International Entrepreneurship Programme students required to incubate an idea.

“I prepared a business, financial and marketing plan on an online marketplace,” recalls Sitashwa. “One of our guest faculties, Dr Ashok Vasudevan, professor with Harvard University, appreciated my work and gave his inputs on the business plan, triggering my entrepreneurial plans.”

Thus, the seeds for CreAdivity were sown at GLIM. But, soon after college it was a nine-hour schedule at work. In November 2007, Sitashwa’s entrepreneurial plan got the better of him and he was determined to give CreAdivity a shot. Three like-minded friends keen to explore the online ad space joined him.

Today, the platform is running on a pilot basis, with each of the four contributing in areas of their strength after office hours. For example, Amit has been taking care of the technical part of the website, sitting in Kolkata, while Shalabh has been formulating strategies since its genesis.

“We launched the beta version of the website, starting with ad contests in certain college campuses, which saw an initial success. Now, we are planning to expand it in a more professional way,” says Shalabh. CreAdivity now has 40 active creatives (design, freelance or management students with a creative bent of mind).

Small and medium businesses which need advertisement and branding solutions can post their requirements on the site. The creative team responds with branding ideas, campaigns and write-ups. “One major USP for a customer is that he gets to choose from 10 different creative solutions,” says Sitashwa. While any leading ad firm charges around Rs. 2 lakh, the rates at CreAdivity range from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000.

Added to that, CreAdivity will also have case studies on Indian advertisements posted on the site, promising to help students. The team has not met, but the members connect remotely and regularly. In fact, they treat this as an advantage.

“This way, we hope to tap three markets,” says Sitashwa. Once they launch the site on a commercial basis, they plan to quit their well-paying jobs and devote themselves full-time to the start-up. Until then, they are scouting for Seed Funding. Anybody listening?

(If you are an entrepreneur with a successful business model or know one, write to us at firstinnings@goergo.in)