Understanding the Process
The $200K Entrepreneurs Challenge consists of four rounds of judging. This year’s competition will kick-off on September 22, 2011 and culminate with the Final Round held on May 4, 2012. Unless otherwise specified, the process described below applies to all three competitions. All activities are held at NYU Stern, 44 W. 4th Street, NYC.Be sure you are eligible to enter. Read the Rules & Eligibility section.
How to enter
Deadline: Thursday, October 6, 2011. Teams must register online to enter the competition and pay the non-refundable entry fee: $75/student team; $150/alumni team.
> Round 1
Deadline: Wednesday, December 7, 2011 by 5:00 p.m.
Teams must submit a Feasibility Analysis by Wednesday, December 7, 2011. All submissions are made online.
Format: Feasibility Analysis must be no longer than 7 pages including financial statements, exhibits, endnotes and appendices (8 .5” by 11”, single-spaced, 12-pt type, minimum one-inch margin).
Feasibility Analysis must be accompanied by a signed Statement of Eligibility.
Criteria: Feasibility Analyses will be reviewed and scored by at least two evaluators using the following criteria:
- New Venture Feasibility Analysis
- Social Venture Feasibility Analysis
- Technology Venture Feasibility Analysis
Disqualification: Entries will be immediately disqualified for the following reasons.
- Submissions received after 5:00 p.m. on December 7, 2011. (Please note that materials sent at 5:01 p.m. will be considered ineligible.)
- Failure to submit a signed eligibility statement by 5:00 p.m. on December 7, 2011.
- Failure to submit a feasibility analysis in the required format. (Please do not test us. Do not use 10-pt type. Do not send 7 ½ pages. Do not use quarter-inch margins. The format must be exactly as specified.)
> Round 2
Deadline: February 29, 2012
A full business plan must be submitted online by February 29, 2012 by 3:00 p.m. In addition, six hard copies must be delivered to the Berkley Center, Attn: Loretta Poole at 44 W. 4th Street, Suite 7-94.
Format: Business plans must be no longer than 25 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 15, 2012. 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 29, 2011. (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 20 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)
April 20, 2012
The Semi-Final Round will be held April 20, 2012.
All semi-finalists will pitch their ventures before a panel of judges. Team presentations are 15 minutes followed by 15 minutes of Q&A/Feedback.
Those teams recommended to advance by the Semi-Final Judges will compete in Round 4 (Finals Round).
> Round 4 (Final Round)
May 4, 2012
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 4, 2012. Team presentations are 15 minutes followed by 15 minutes of Q&A/Feedback.
Winners will be announced at an Awards Reception the evening of May 4.
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.
