Innovation Challenge: Fall 2009 Competition

Intent to Compete & Eligibility (Fall Semester)

Teams that are interested in competing in the Executive Summary & Elevator Pitch Competition need to draft a short, initial proposal which will be use to:

Confirm eligibility of team members
Confirm eligibility of advisors
Confirm eligibility of the technology

The proposal contents will be kept confidential among the faculty and staff administering the competition and the judges of the competition.By submitting the intent to compete form in the fall, you are confirming your eligibility to compete in both the fall and spring semester competitions, if you so choose. The Intent to Compete Form is non-binding and will only allow us to confirm your eligibility. More detailed information about the Fall Competition will be sent to you once your form is received. We can also help you find team members between now and the Executive Summary & Elevator Pitch Competition deadline. You do not have to assemble a complete team at this time.

The Intent to Compete and Certificate of Eligibility Form can be found here and should be e-mailed by the deadline to demers@ecs.umass.edu.

Executive Summary & Elevator Pitch Competition (Fall Semester)

Each team will submit a two or three page Executive Summary of their business plan and concept. This document will be reviewed by the judges prior to the competition and will be used to help determine the teams overall score in the competition. Deadline is 12/04/2008 at 11:59PM.This summary will follow a standard format and address.

The Executive Summary contents will be kept confidential among the faculty and staff administering the competition and the judges of the competition.

The night of the competition, each team’s “leader” will have the opportunity to present a two-minute Elevator Pitch to the judges. This will be timed, and questions will be taken from the judges and audience following each team’s presentation. There will be no PowerPoint slides permitted during this competition. Posters are OK, but a PDF must be provided at the same time as the Executive Summary. A request for an easel(s) must also be submitted by the team to demers@ecs.umass.edu.

Here is the form the judges will use to score teams and determine a “winner” of this first competition of the 2008/09 Innovation Challenge. The winning team will be awarded $5,000. Addition prizes at the discretion of the judges.

Date	Time	Topic
11/23/2009	10:00am Submit forms to Heather Demers at demers@ecs.umass.edu	DEADLINE to submit your Intent to Compete & Certificate of Eligibility for the IC Executive Summary & Elevator Pitch Competition
11/25/2009	12:00 NOON	Announcement of Finalists for the IC Executive Summary & Elevator Pitch Competition, up to 12 teams can compete
11/30/2009 – 12/1/2009	By appointment, email Heather Demers at demers@ecs.umass.edu for more information	Executive Summary & Elevator Pitch Coaching with Mentors, by appointment only
12/3/2009	11:59 PM Submit forms to Heather Demers at demers@ecs.umass.edu	DEADLINE to submit your Executive Summary for judges to review prior to the event.
12/4/2009	4:00 to 6:00 PM By appointment, email Heather Demers at demers@ecs.umass.edu for more information	IC Elevator Pitch Practice for Teams, by appointment only
12/8/2009	3:30PM Campus Center Room 1009 Open to the public	FALL COMPETITON/EVENT Executive Summary & Elevator Pitch Competition for the Innovation Challenge Prizes at discretion of judges

Questions should be directed to Heather Demers in the College of Engineering at demers@ecs.umass.edu or 413-577-0231.