Judging Sequence
Presentations are made by invitation only. Presenting teams may contact the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to verify or clarify the following guidelines. (e-mail: cei@utk.edu or at 974-6131)
- Concept Summary (Preliminary Round) – There are no oral presentations for the preliminary round of the Business Plan Competition. Judging is based solely on the Concept Summary. Please submit a cover sheet with your Concept Summary showing your name and contact information to cei@utk.edu. The entire Concept Summary should not exceed three pages in length (counting the cover page), double spaced, 12 pt font, 1” margins). Each Concept Summary will be read by at least two (2) judges. The judges then select 10 semi-finalists in each category. In this round focus on the purpose of the business; what business are you really in, who is your target market, what need are you satisfying; how will you satisfy that need; what is your sustainable competitive advantage; what benefit do you bring to the customer; how will you make money?
- Semi-Finals – Semi-Finalists will be notified on or about February 16, 2009 and present sometime between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM on Friday, March 13, 2009 at a venue to be announced. Semi-finalists will have fifteen (15) minutes to make an oral presentation of their business plan. A five (5) minute question and answer session will follow each presentation. Presenters should have 7 bound copies of their plans to leave with the judges. Teams may use any form of visual aid necessary. A PowerPoint projector will be available. The team will have no more than three (3) minutes to set up. Any additional time will be used against the fifteen (15) minutes allotted for the presentation.
- Finals – Finalists will be notified by March 25th, 2009 and present at the final event on Friday, April 3, 2009. The Venue for the final round is not yet determined. Winners will be announced on or before April 7th. Finalists will have five (5) minutes to present a recap of their plan and twenty (20) minutes to answer questions from the judges. Finalists are strongly encouraged to have concise well thought out oral summary of their business model and how it will succeed. No visual aids will be allowed.