Canadian student? Own a company? Smart and ambitious? Then get ready to compete, because the 2008 National Student Entrepreneur Competition is for you.

Run by ACE and CIBC, the contest is for entrepreneurs who are also university or college students. The contest aims to be a regional and national showcase for Canada’s best young business people.

Nominations are open now and close Dec. 7. Check out www.acecanada.ca for details. Twelve provincial champions will be named in January. They then go on to compete in one of three regional competitions, with the winners moving on to the national contest in Toronto in May.

Grand prize is $10,000 and the chance to represent Canada at the 2008 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.

Winning this competition will be a great boon for one of Canada’s next business leaders, but even simply competing in it will give young Canadians a valuable networking opportunity. So if you know an ambitious young Canadian, forward this blog post.

Peter Wolchak