Rules & Requirements

Competition Deadlines

Email business plan to gbetti@wpi.edu by 5:00 PM May 14.

Prizes

At the judges' discretion, up to three plans may be selected to share in prizes. Prizes may be awarded in cash, larger prizes may be paid part in cash and part on account to reimburse legitimate pre-approved start-up expenses.

Eligibility

Only WPI full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students who are, or have been enrolled during the current academic year as a WPI degree-seeking student are eligible.

  1. All authors of the business plan and team members must meet all eligibility requirements
  2. Only those who author the business plan may participate in the business plan presentation.
  3. At least one member of the presentation team must hold a senior-level management position in the proposed business.
  4. Past Challenge place winners are welcome to submit a plan for a different new business idea.

Business Plan Rules

  1. Eligible individuals or teams may submit plans.
  2. The business plan must be the original work of the individual or team submitting it.
  3. The business plan must be for a start-up business that is no more than one year old. Plans to buy or expand an existing company, or to purchase a franchise, are not eligible.
  4. The business must be a technology business. Just because a business employs technology does not mean it is a technology business. For example, selling “Pet Rocks” over the internet would not be considered a technology business even though information technology is employed in the business model.
  5. Business plans are limited to a total of 40 pages, including the business plan narrative, financial data, and appropriate appendices. The narrative should be typed, double-spaced, one inch margins, Times New Roman 12-point font.
  6. The business plan must include the required contact and cover pages.
  7. Plans must be submitted electronically to gbetti@wpi.edu. If your file exceeds 19MB, please zip it or deliver it on a CD or via flashdrive.
  8. Plans received after the deadline will not be considered for the competition.

Competition Structure

Business plans should be submitted to the WPI Collaborative for Entrepreneurship & Innovation via e-mail sent to gbetti@wpi.edu.

Judges will evaluate each business plan using criteria they normally use when evaluating business plans. Issues and concerns that judges often consider when evaluating business plans are found elsewhere on this website.

The screening judges reserve the right to reject any and all submissions if they feel they are not of sufficient quality to be presented orally.

Up to five (5) plans may be selected for oral presentation.

After the judges’ deliberations the winner(s) may be announced. The judges reserve the right not to select a winner if they feel the oral presentation does not live up to the quality of the written plan.

Presenters should plan on remaining in the area from the conclusion of the last presentation to ensure they will be present for the awards and debriefing by judges.

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Last modified: April 24, 2008 16:31:38