Sir Richard Branson is offering an hour of his time and possibly his own funds to the winner of a new entrepreneurial challenge launched in Auckland on Friday.
The founder of the Virgin Group launched the Virgin Business Challenge, which is aimed at start ups with ambitions to go global.
The winner will receive $100,000 cash from BNZ, flights with Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia and an hour with Sir Richard in a mentoring role.
Sir Richard, who was knighted in 1998 for his services to entrepreneurship, is urging New Zealanders with aspirations to reach $50 million in turnover within five years, to compete.
He says he will consider investing in any of the businesses competing in the challenge.
