CSU Business Plan Competition & Student Incubator Program
Rules for Participation (as of 10/17/2011):
1.Teams are to be completely composed of ConnSCU students - graduate or undergraduate, enrolled full-time or part-time during the Spring 2012 semester.
2.The business idea must not be owned by someone other than the student team or a member of the student team (i.e., students cannot enter plans requested by, commissioned by, or directed by persons or entities other than the students).
3.An online submission program will be available by Jan. 31, 2012. Teams must register their intent to participate by Mar 16, 2012. Online submissions will be due Monday, April 2 at 5:00 p.m. Finalists will be Announced Thur. April 5.
4.Upon on-line submission, finalists must indicate their interest in competing for the ITBD Student Incubator grand prize. (Teams can compete for other prizes without competing for the grand prize, but we need to know who is competing for the grand prize).
5.Finalists will be selected based on quality and originality of the business concept, potential viability of the firm, and thoroughness of planning and research, and written quality of submission. Preferences will be given to diverse teams (demographic, gender, academic).
6.The final competition will be April 12. Each finalists will make a three minute presentation with no Q&A at the platform. After the presentations, each team will have a table and easel at which they can display and present anything they want related to their business plan. For approximately one hour Judges will circulate through the room, ask questions, observe plans, and discuss ideas with the team. Judges will be given “ConnSCU Bucks” and “ITBD Bucks.” They will vote for the winning team by putting their “bucks” in boxes at each team’s table (judges can split their votes).
7.The winner of the First Prize ($1,000 unrestricted grant) will be the team with the most “ConnSCU Bucks.”
8.The winner of the ITBD Student Incubator Grand Prize (Space in ITBD incubator, professional mentoring, seed capital) will be the team with the most “ITBD Bucks.”
9.The winner of other prizes, such as the Connecticut Innovations, Inc. “Best Technology” plan ($1,500 unrestricted grant), will be determined by the sponsoring organization.
10.All winners will be announced at the finals event.
11.If the Grand Prize Winner does not enter the ITBD Incubator, the other portions of the Grand Prize will be forfeit. In this eventuality, the competition organizers reserve the right to offer the Grand Prize to one of the other ITBD Grand Prize Finalist.
