Understanding the Process
Download a copy of the Competition Schedule At a Glance. Be sure you are eligible to enter. Read the Rules & Eligibility section.
How to enter
Deadline: Wednesday, October 17, 2012. Teams must register online to enter the competition and pay the non-refundable entry fee: $75/student team; $150/alumni team. Teams must submit a 3 minute power point with audio (not to exceed 180 mb); one page venture summary and Canvas (Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas). We recommend
Watching the video: Alex Osterwalder on Business Model Innovation and Downloading Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas. Resources for Developing your powerpoint audio or video. Watch the How to Present Webinar. New Venture Competition Summary Guidelines; Social Venture Competition Summary Guidelines; NYU Technology Venture Competition Summary Guidelines.
Round 1
Teams must submit a 3 to 6 minute power point with audio (not to exceed 180 mb); Venture Summary (3 pages of text plus an additional 2 pages for exhibits etc.) and Business Model Canvas (Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas).
Watch Alex Osterwalder's Video on How to use Business Model Canvas.
All submissions are made online.
Format: Venture Summary must be no longer than 3 pages of text and up to an additional 2 pages for financial statements, exhibits, endnotes and appendices (8 .5” by 11”, single-spaced, 12-pt type, minimum one-inch margin). For the Venture Summary submission, please refer to the following feasibilty analysis guidelines. New Venture Feasibility Analysis, Social Venture Feasibility Analysis and NYU Technology Feasibility Analysis.
Venture Summary must be accompanied by a signed Statement of Eligibility.
Criteria will be posted shortly.
Teams selected by the evaluators will advance to Round 2 (Semi-Finals)
Disqualification: Entries will be immediately disqualified for the following reasons.
- Submissions received after 4:00 p.m. on December 5, 2012. (Please note that materials sent at 4:01 p.m. will be considered ineligible.)
- Failure to submit a signed eligibility statement by 4:00 p.m. on December 5, 2012.
- Failure to submit a venture summary in the required format. (Please do not test us. Do not use 10-pt type. Do not send 4 ½ pages. Do not use quarter-inch margins. The format must be exactly as specified.)
Round 2
A full business plan must be submitted online by February 28, 2013 by 3:00 p.m. In addition, two hard copies must be delivered to the Berkley Center, Attn: Loretta Poole at 44 W. 4th Street, Suite 7-97.
Format: Business plans must be no longer than 15 pages including financial statements, exhibits, endnotes and appendices (8 .5” by 11”, single-spaced, 12-pt type, minimum one-inch margin).
Criteria: Business plans will be reviewed by a panel of evaluators based on the criteria outlined.
All teams that advance to Round 2 must have at least one representative at the Annual New Venture Showcase on February 13, 2013. Failure to do so might result in disqualification.
Disqualification: Teams will be immediately disqualified for the following reasons.
- Submission received after 3:00 p.m. on February 28, 2012. (Submissions received at 3:01 p.m. will be considered ineligible.)
- Failure to submit a business plan in the required format. (Please do not test us. Do not use 10-pt type. Do not send 15 ½ pages. Do not use quarter-inch margins. The format must be exactly as specified.)
- Those teams selected by the Round 2 evaluators will be invited to present their venture concepts in Round 3 to the semi-finals judges.
Round 3 (Semi-Final Round)
The Semi-Final Round will be held April 19, 2013.
All semi-finalists will pitch their ventures before a panel of judges. Team presentations are 10 minutes followed by 15 minutes of Q&A/Feedback.
Teams must submit a 3 minute power point with audio (not to exceed 180 mb); 15 page (total maximum pages) business plan and Canvas (Alex Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas).
Those teams recommended to advance by the Semi-Final Judges will compete in Round 4 (Finals Round).
Round 4 (FInal Round)
Teams are evaluated by the Final Round Judges based on their final business plans (submission deadline: April 11, 2012) and their Final Round presentations.
Finalist teams will present to the Final Round Judges on May 3, 2013. Team presentations are 10 minutes followed by 15 minutes of Q&A/Feedback.
Winners will be announced at an Awards Reception the evening of May 3.
Final Round Judges reserve the right to declare more than one winner. In such a case, the judging panel can vote to split the total prize money between more than one team.
The decision of all Entrepreneurs’ Challenge judging panels are final.
