Competition Guidelines for Student Teams (Preliminary Registration)

Competition Guidelines for Student Teams (Preliminary Registration)

Business Plan Themes & Judging Criteria

GSEC business plans may address a broad range of subjects and need to involve the developing world. In the past, plans have covered:
Healthcare
Education
The environment
Energy
Information and communication technology
Social services
Agriculture
Manufacturing.
The proposed business model may be entirely private or it may be a public-private partnership.
Plans are judged on:
(1) Impact on quality of life in the developing world (See SROI below)
(2) Implementation feasibility
(3) Financial sustainability

Social Return on Investment includes the social good of improved health. As such, two new prizes in Global Health will also be awarded this year. Eligible business plans may or may not focus on a direct "health" industry (such as pharmaceutical start-up, distribution, sales, direct health care provision, health education, or other), but the plan must clearly outline as an impact the benefit to the health of the population. Quantitative measurement such as illness or mortality reduction or qualitative measurement may be used to describe this impact. Examples of "non health" ventures with health impacts: motorcycle and automobile safety feature improvement, sales and marketing, fire prevention devices, "green" industries, distance education for literacy, etc.

How to Enter

By October 25th, 2008, (4 a.m. Pacific Standard Time):

Fill out the online application form.
Submit your business plan executive summary online via the provided link and every enquire or further information to; gsec@dtcnigeria.org. All summaries must conform to the GSEC Executive Summary Guidelines.
Refer to the Timeline for important details and due dates for all required steps.

Business Plan Submission Format

GSEC business plan executive summaries and business plans are sent via email link on out website.
The format requirements discussed below are for both full businesses plans due in January and final business plans due in February 2009. Full business plans are drafts teams and mentors can modify before the competition. Final business plans will be sent to judges prior to the competition for review.
Teams have the option of mailing additional hard copies of their final business plan to the GSEC office. See the Mailing Instructions.
One emailed document per team. Merge all files into one program, if using more than one program (such as Microsoft Word and Excel). We will not merge any files.
Font: Arial or Times New Roman, even if sending a PDF file. Please note: some fonts, such as Gulim, create problems even in Acrobat Reader.
Document size: 3MB maximum.
Document type: MS Word and other MS Office programs acceptable (Excel and/or PowerPoint).
Document page size: 8 ½ x 11 inches (required). We cannot accept A4 size document formatting.
Layout: pages should be numbered and include a title page, a table of contents, and an executive summary.
Length:

Executive Summary: up to 5 pages, double spaced.
Business Plan: 15- 20 pages, maximum. All pages must be double-spaced. Aim to make an impression quickly while providing with sufficient information.
Supplementary materials (graphs, charts, appendices, etc.): 15 additional supplementary pages, maximum.

A typical business plan includes the following:
- Market need: What problem does the company's product/service solve? How significant a problem is it?
- Product description: What is the product/service?
- Competitor analysis: Who are the competitors and what are their strengths and weaknesses?
- Marketing and sales plan: What is the target market? What are the strategies for distribution, sales, pricing and promotion?
- Financial projections: Sources and uses of capital, and projected revenues and expenses Intellectual property strategy: What intellectual property exists and can it be protected?
- Management team: Who is involved and what is their experience?

Competition Format & Rules

Format
All GSEC teams are required to participate in the GSEC Week activities, during February 23-25, 2009, in Seattle Washington. Arranged company visits February 26-27 are optional.

Monday February 23, 2009: Orientation events
Tuesday February 24, 2009: Coaching Round and Trade Show
Wednesday February 25, 2009: Competition Rounds and Awards Banquet
Thursday-Friday February 26-27, 2009: Exclusive Company visits

Competition Rules

Business plans may be for a private business or a public-private partnership. All plans must generate revenue and demonstrate financial sustainability.
Teams must have at least one currently matriculated university student. All presenters at the competition must be currently matriculated university students. (Non-student team members must be silent.)
The business plan may be for a business that will be implemented by people other than the team members (submission should still address the quality of the management team).
Multidisciplinary teams are highly encouraged.
Partial travel scholarships for developing country teams may be available, depending upon funding. For more information contact us at gsec@dtcnigeria.org.
Faculty advisors are welcome, but will be responsible for the costs associated with their travel.
The business plan can be for an existing business only if that business has not received any 3rd party/outside financing (principals have only used their own money). Total company revenues cannot exceed US$500,000.
There is no maximum size for a team (a team size of 2 – 4 members is recommended).
One business plan per team.
Teams may participate in other competitions.

Note: The Director of the Global Business Center reserves the right to make the final determination of the eligibility of submitted business ventures.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at gsec@dtcnigeria.org. We look forward to receiving a submission from your university and organization.

General Timeline

October 25, 2008	GSEC Applications due. Applications consist of team registration and an executive summary of the business plan. Refer to the GSEC Executive Summary Guidelines for requirements.
November 2008	Executive summaries reviewed by selection committee. To learn how to participate, contact us at gsec@dtcnigeria.org.
December 2008	Teams selected & invited to compete in GSEC at Washington in Seattle
December 2008 - January 2009	Mentors assigned to and work with teams
January 15, 2009	Full business plan due. Teams work with mentors to refine the business plan.
February 12, 2009	Final business plan due
February 23-27, 2009	GSEC Week, Campus, Seattle, WA. Teams participate in an investment round, coaching session, and competition rounds (required) where they present their business plans to a panel of judges. Winning teams receive monetary prizes. All teams have the chance to network with members of the Seattle community, and GSEC staff will help teams arrange optional company visits and regional tours on Feb 26-27 if teams choose to stay in Seattle for the entire week.

Prizes
GSEC teams compete for grand and second prizes totalling at least $12,500 US.

Prizes are subject to U.S. a 30% withholding tax for nonresident aliens, which can be reimbursed upon filing a US IRS tax return after the competition. The GSEC organizers will provide assistance prior to the competition in order to expedite the process.

Presentations

Presentations are 20 minutes: Teams have 10 minutes maximum to present their business plan after which time judges have 10 minutes to ask questions. Presentations may be shorter than 10 minutes.

PowerPoint
Audio visual equipment will be provided for team’s PowerPoint presentations during the preliminary and final rounds. In addition to the presentation slides, a team may want to provide extra slides as backup to support answers from judges. Teams should prepare their presentations before travelling to Seattle. During GSEC Week teams will have time to practice and refine their presentations prior to the preliminary and final rounds.

The GSEC staff will request a copy of teams’ PowerPoint presentations at GSEC Orientation. All teams will be required to attend Orientation.
Tips
- Practice often and in front of others before coming to the Coaching Round.
- The fewer slides, the better: keep it concise.
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Anticipate & prepare for judges questions.
- Provide a sample of your product, if applicable.

Technical Support

You will be provided a laptop computer and LCD projector in each of the presentation rooms during the Coaching Round and on the competition days. You will not be able to use your laptop during the competition or Coaching Round. However, you may use your laptop to practice your presentation in the breakout rooms, which you will have access to prior to your presentation.

Aside from the 2 laptops and projectors used during the presentation, all other additional technical support will be the team's responsibility. It is recommended that each team bring at least one laptop with them to revise their PowerPoint slides and to practice their presentation. Your hotel room will have access to either a dial-up, Ethernet, or wireless connection. There is also a small business center located in the hotel.

Social Return on Investment (SROI)

A social entrepreneurial business plan needs to demonstrate the Social Return on Investment (SROI) as well as the financial return on investment.

Travel Info

All GSEC teams are required to participate in the GSEC Week activities, during February 23-25, 2009, in Seattle Washington. A 2009 event schedule will be updated soon.

Hotel

GSEC participants visiting from out-of-town will receive a special rate at a hotel near the Campus. More details will be available by November 2008.

Flight information

The closest airport to Seattle, Washington, is SeaTac International Airport. Shuttles, taxis, buses, and car services provide ground transportation from SeaTac to the Seattle area. Please see the Seattle Transportation section below, under Useful Links.

What to Bring/Wear

Attire for most GSEC events is business casual or business, as is typical for your country/culture. For some events casual attire is suitable. Please see GSEC Events Schedule for more information. You are welcome to wear "celebration attire" for the Awards Banquet.
Seattle's weather can vary quite a lot in the early spring, so clothing that can be layered is recommended. Be prepared for sunny and warm, or rainy and cool weather (temperatures can range between 40 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit).
GSEC participants are required to bring the following items:

Passport (& visa if necessary)
Plane ticket
Photocopy of passport and plane tickets
Cash or Traveller’s checks
Identification other than your passport
A copy of the Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition invitation to expedite customs processing (per traveller).
No sharp objects should be packed in carry-on bags. Up-to-date travel restrictions can be found at the Port of Seattle.