When are submissions due?
What should your NVC submission include?
NVC consists of four specialty tracks and a general category for business ideas not specializing in one of the four core tracks. Sponsors from across campus sponsor the NVC tracks to provide unique opportunities for students to develop ideas in areas including: cleantech, music and arts, social impact and IT.
Each track has specified a competitive format best suited for businesses in each respective track.
Complete submissions will include:
Cleantech
1) Executive 2-page summary of business plan
2) 5 minute video pitch
3) I/P disclosure and declaration formVisit CU Cleantech NVC for complete details
IT
1) Two-page executive summary of a new venture plan
2) A 10-slide investor pitch
3) An in-person presentation, including a creative demonstration of the product or service (5 minute presentation, followed by 5 minute Q&A with judges)– 5:30PM, March 19 at Wolf Law
1) Two-page executive summary of a new venture plan
2) A 10-slide investor pitch
3) An in-person presentation, including a creative demonstration of the product or service (5 minute presentation, followed by 5 minute Q&A with judges)– 5:30PM, March 20 at the Leeds School
Music
1) A business plan, up to 20 pages– 10 pages for the plan, plus up to 10 pages for appendices
2) Bios of team members
3) In-person presentation TBA
Social Impact
A business plan, up to 20 pages in length– 10 pages for the plan, 10 pages for appendices.
Email socialimpact@cunvc.org for complete guidelines.
What is the Competition Schedule after submission of a new venture plan and how do the teams compete?
After receiving new venture plans, each NVC track will assemble separate panels of judges to evaluate submissions. Each track will invite submitting teams to give an in-person presentation to live judges. The top team from each track will then present in a live finals round. The NVC Committee will also select one team to fill a “Wild Card” slot for the NVC Finals on April 5th.
In-Person Presentation Schedule:
General: March 20, 5:30PM, Leeds School
Cleantech: None; NVC judges select teams; regional competition on April 20, 2012
IT: March 19, 5:30PM, Law School
Music: TBA
Social Impact: April 2, 4:30PM, Law School
What does the NVC Finals entail?
The top team from each of the NVC tracks and one “Wild Card” team will be invited to present their business plans at the 2012 NVC Finals on April 5, 2012 at Wolf Law.
The six teams will be invited to:
1) present to live judges for 8 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A
2) attend a reception
3) be present for the awards announcement following the pitch presentation
Who sponsors CU-Boulder’s New Venture Challenge?
- CU NVC is produced by centers from across campus: Silicon Flatirons, The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, The Center for Education on Social Responsibility & The Entrepreneurship Center for Music
- With support from across campus: eShip (College of Engineering ), Atlas (the Alliance for Technology, Learning & Society), ITP (the Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program) & CU Technology Transfer
- And with generous community support from: Zayo Group, Marsh Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP, GC Andersen Partners, LLC & First Western Trust Bank
How are business plans judged?
- This challenge rewards well thought-out concepts, creative approaches, due diligence in research, clearly written plans and engaging presentations. Judges score but do not rule ideas out for overall viability. For example, judges will not penalize teams for lack of experienced management. On the other hand, judges do not ignore flaws stemming from hasty research or oversight of obvious concerns or consequences. Criteria for judging plans are designed to meet the educational goals of CU NVC. These criteria offer the judges the flexibility needed to reward innovative ideas and strong effort. Generally, plans are judged on five categories. Each competitive track provides customized criteria aimed at ensuring the strongest ideas in each track receive recognition.
What are the judging criteria?
1) Quality of Writing, including:
- Clear and engaging executive summary
- Easy to follow; concise; writing is well-organized and clear
- Brief / not dense; essentials jump off the page
- Not overly technical, but with enough detail to illustrate the idea
- For tracks requiring a complete business plan, these plans should be no longer than 20 pages in length – 10 for the plan and 10 for the appendices
2) Quality of Presentation (applicable only to finalists)
- Ability to demonstrate the product or service in use
- Content clearly and creatively presented
- Compelling – gets your attention
- Good but not overuse of visuals
- Adheres to time limits
3) Concept / Vision
- Clear goal expressed with realistic steps to achieve it
- Utility / Appeal – does the concept address a real customer need?
4) Quality of Evidence and Research
- First-hand research, including interviews with potential customers and industry experts
- Research on competitors at multiple levels (other providers of product; substitutes)
- Strong link between customer / competitor research and concept
- Anticipation or responsiveness to customer demands / competitor advances
5) Plan Components:
Are the product/service description, marketing plan, finance plan, description of competitive advantage and growth plan:
- Innovative?
- (But also) Realistic?
- Internally consistent? (Does the components make sense together?)
Bonus Points
This is an opportunity for judges to award extra points based on their experience. A judge need not award bonus points. Some possible reasons to award bonus points include:
- This is a brilliant idea that addresses a real market need.
- The parts fit together so well that it “just made sense.”
- The amount of work by the team is evident and suggests future success.
- It made this concept or team “fundable”
