Round One – Summary Submission

Round One - Important Dates
Submission deadline: Thursday, October 8, 2009
Announcement of second round participants: Thursday, October 22, 2009

Complete the online competition entry form and submit a 3-5 page summary of your business venture. The summary must include the following information:

• Cover Page
  • The primary contact person, with complete contact information including an email address
  • The business name (or proposed name), and a one-sentence overview of the main line of business
• Project Team
  • Name of majority owner (51% or more)
  • Brief background on the entrepreneur(s) involved and their experience
  • Roles and responsibilities of those involved
• Product and/or Service Offering
  • Brief description of the offering
  • What problem does it solve, or what need does it fulfill? What are the benefits of your offering?
• Uniqueness of the Offering/Barriers to Entry from Competitors
  • Why is the product/service unique or different from the competition?
  • Who are the major competitors?
  • What potential barriers of entry could you encounter?
  • Is this uniqueness sustainable (e.g. patents, intellectual property, barriers to entry, etc.)?
• Market Opportunity
  • Who are the targeted customers?
  • What is the market size?
  • Is there evidence they will buy the product?
  • How will the product penetrate the market?
• Current Stage of Development
  • What is the current status of the technology/venture?
  • What are the key next steps?
• Business Model
  • How will the company generate sustainable revenue?
• Milestones and Success Metrics
  • What are the success metrics and timelines?
  • What is the time required to go to market?
• Capital Requirements
  • How much funding is needed to move forward?
  • How will the money be used?
  • Why is your business an attractive investment?

 
The summary must be submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF format prior to 5:00 pm AST on Thursday, October 8. A confirmation receipt will be sent by email.

Please note: We are unable to accommodate updates once summaries are submitted.

The document must be limited to 3-5 pages of text (typed, double-spaced, minimum 12 point font, with at least 1” margins on all sides), excluding the cover page.

The judging panel will select a short list of up to five (5) entries per zone that will be invited to move into Round Two of the competition. Announcement of the short list will be on October 22, 2009.

Round Two – Full Business Plan Submission

Round Two - Important Dates
Submission deadline: Thursday, November 19, 2009
Announcement of third round participants: Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Those moving on to Round Two will be required to submit a full business plan. An electronic version is required. The full plan must include the following:

• Executive Summary – Clear, exciting and effective as a stand-alone overview of the plan
• Products or Services – Description, features and benefits, pricing, current stage of development, proprietary position
• Market and Marketing Strategy – Description of the market, competitive analysis, needs identification, unique capabilities, sales/promotion and penetration
• Management – Background of key individuals, ability to execute strategy, human resource requirements, organizational structure
• Summary Financials – Presented in summary form, easy to read and understand, and consistent with plan

The full business plan must be submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF format prior to 5:00 pm AST on Thursday, November 19. A confirmation receipt will be sent by email.

Plans are limited to 15 – 20 pages of text (typed, double-spaced, minimum 12 point font, with at least a 1” margin on all sides), excluding the cover page but including the executive summary, charts or diagrams, and summary financial data. Detailed spreadsheets and appropriate appendices should follow the text portion of the plan and be limited to 10 pages. Appendices should be included only when they support the statements and observations in the plan. 

Financial data should include the projected cash flow statement, income statement, and balance sheet for a 3-year period, as well as actual financial statements (if applicable). Include an explanation of how much money is required and the use of funds. In addition to the detailed financial statements, a financial summary should be included (see below for an example).
 
Proposed Business Plan Financial Summary

The financial model example above is intended to show the level of detail that the judges are seeking. Entrants may be asked for additional levels of financial detail and back up assumptions to support the high level view.

The judging panel will select a short list of three (3) participants from each zone that will be invited to move into Round Three of the competition. The announcement will be made on December 8, 2009. A workshop and/or one-on-one consulting assistance may be provided to the three finalists in each zone to assist in preparing the presentation and business plan for the third and final round. This workshop will take place in January.

Round Three – Oral Presentation

Round Three - Important Dates
Oral presentations (pitches): January 13 – 25, 2010
Zone winners announced as provincial finalists:  Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Those in Round Three (final round) will have 30 minutes to present their business plan, followed by a 15 minute question-and-answer session. 

A projector, screen, and computer will be available in the presentation room. Presenters may bring their own laptop if desired. Laptops will connect directly to the projector present in the room. All presenters are encouraged to bring a back-up copy of their presentation. “Tech checks” can be done the day before the actual presentation by prior arrangement with the competition project manager.

Round Three (oral presentation) entries are required to provide an electronic copy of their presentation and business plan.

Zone winners will be announced as awarded (between January 13 – 25, 2010)

 
Provincial Round

Provincial Round - Important Dates
Oral presentations (pitches):  Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Awards presentations – zone winners and provincial winner: Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Zone winners will be invited to present their business opportunity/venture to a judging panel on February 9, 2010. This presentation will be similar to round three in that each finalist will be given 30 minutes to present their business plan, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session. A business plan will be submitted to the judges in advance of this presentation.

A projector, screen and computer will be available in the presentation room. Presenters may bring their own laptop if desired. Laptops will connect directly to the projector present in the room. All presenters are encouraged to bring a back-up copy of their presentation. “Tech checks” can be done the day before the actual presentation by prior arrangement with the competition project manager.

Entries in the provincial round are required to provide an electronic copy of their business plan and oral presentation.

Zone winners and the provincial winner will be announced at an event later that day – February 9, 2010.