Student Entries
RULES & CONDITIONS 2009/2010
Business Awards, Creativity & Design, & Social Enterprise
1. The competition is open to all current registered students at the North East Universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside. Recent graduates can apply, if they have graduated from a North East university no later than 2007.
Non North East university students can make up part of their business team as long as the leader is a North East student or recent graduate. In the event that a team is short listed to the final stage and the team leader is not available on the presentation day, only a named team member who is an existing North East university student or recent graduate will be allowed to make the presentation. NB Student & Recent Graduate Status will be Verified.
2. Individuals or teams can enter, but if a team, then a lead name and contact details must be given. This is the person with whom we will correspond.
3. The short list for the Grand Final will consist of up to 2 entries from each of teh 5 North East Universities into each of the 3 award categories (main business awards, creativity and design and social enterprise), selected by the Universities as a result of their own University competitions. Science & Technology entries will now be combined with entries into the Business Awards. Selected finalists may be entered into more than one category (if deemed relevant). However, no more than 6 entries spread over the 3 categories are allowed.
UNIVERSITIES MUST CONFIRM ENTRIES NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY 30 JUNE 2010.
4. All finalists are required to submit a 1-page executive summary via email, as further confirmation of their entry into the Regional Grand Final. The submission deadline, 12 noon, Monday 2 August 2010.
5. Prior to the Grand Final, finalists will be REQUIRED to attend and take part in the “Pilot your Pitch” event. This will be held on Wednesday 1 September 2010, at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead. This event will give finalists the opportunity to practice their pitch in front of the competition sponsors. Finalists will receive feedback and advice on their pitch and may, as a result, enhance their plan and pitch, before the final submission date.
If you intend to use an electronic presentation, this must be submitted no later than 12 noon, Wednesday 25 August 2010, to Jill at scientific.enterprise@dur.ac.uk.
NB: Finalists will be expected to make themselves available to NECSE Staff and their PR Team in terms of PR Interviews, Press Releases, Publicity Shots and Website Blogs. There is also a chance you could be selected for a Television interview, this however, is optional.
6. Finalists are be required to SUBMIT X6 COPIES OF THE FULL BUSINESS PLAN (FOR EACH JUDGING PANEL), BY 12 NOON, MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2010. Late entries will not be accepted. It is recommended that full Business Plans are sent by special delivery post the day before, or hand delivered to:
Blueprint – Business Plan Competition, Room GB18, Block 2 Mountjoy Research Centre, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3UP.
NB: Please mark clearly which categories you are entering. FINALISTS ENTERING MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY MUST SUPPLY 6 HARD-COPIES FOR EACH OF THE JUDGING PANELS.
7. Each finalist team will be expected to make a presentation to the judging panel prior to the Grand Final Awards Ceremony on THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 2010. Judging will take place during the day and the awards will be given out later that evening. A timetable and judging criteria will be provided nearer the event.
Finalists are required to submit any electronic copies of their presentations by 12 NOON ON THURSDAY 14 OCTOBER 2010. Presentations should be submitted in the following format: PowerPoint, Flash or an exe file. Finalists using videos within their presentations must first ensure that the video file works in the presentation prior to its submission. Any presentations submitted with video files must be sent in a zipped folder, via email or a file sharing site, along with the original video file. If you have any other questions about presentations please email Jill at: scientific.enterprise@dur.ac.uk
8. The decision of the judges is final.
9. Late applications will not be accepted.
10. Applications will be held in confidence. Judges will have previously signed an NDA prior to receiving the plans. It is the responsibility of the applicant to confirm that they have the right to exploit the intellectual property contained in their plan and to take appropriate steps to protect it. Each award category will have its own independent judging panel.
11. Prize money will only be paid by cheque or bank transfer to the name of the winning businesses. WINNERSWILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE (OR CREATE) A BUSINESS ACCOUNT IN TO WHICH PRIZE MONIESCAN BE DEPOSITED.
12. The term “North East student” refers to current students and recent graduates(please refer to definition in rule 1) “North East Universities” refers to the Universities of Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside only.
13. The competition is open to those who have a business idea and no business experience and to those with existing businesses, as long as they meet the entry criteria. Neither group will be given an advantage.