Business Plan Competition FAQ
General Questions
Is it okay for a non-business student to enter the competition?
Absolutely! The Business Plan Competition is open to all students who are currently enrolled in a degree seeking program in the state of Washington.
If I don't find any team members that really seem like "the right fit" during the Networking Nights, is it okay to have a "team" of just one person?
It’s definitely okay to have just one person on a team. However, if you advance to the Investment Round, you’ll want to add a few people to your team to help you pitch to judges.
Can we submit a business plan into the competition for a business that is or may become a nonprofit / social business in the future?
Yes, definitely! The competition is open to all types of businesses.
Is there a BPC archive that has the synopsis of the BPC plans submitted so far?
If you want to come and take a look at some of the plans that have gone through the competition, you're welcome to. Call or email the CIE Office to set-up a time.
Can a student submit plans for more than one team?
Yes, you are allowed to participate in the Business Plan Competition with more than one team. However, it can be a logistical challenge to do that at the Investment
Round and Sweet 16, but it is possible.
Am I allowed to have a faculty member as a mentor for the BPC?
Yes, you can have a faculty member as a mentor. We’re also happy to try to pair you with a professional in the field who could coach and mentor you through the process. Note,
it's much more effective if you have an idea of who you would like to talk to more about your idea. Coming and simply asking for a mentor will make it challenging for you to find the
right person. You should do research to find out who you want to talk to.
I am part of a company looking to recruit students to assist in taking my idea through the Business Plan Competition. How would I go about doing this?
If you’re looking for students to take an idea through the Business Plan Competition, here are two ways to meet students:
- Post a profile on the Web site http://bschool.washington.edu/cie/bpc/profiles.shtml.
Succinctly describe what your idea is and the type of team members you’re looking for.
- Attend the Business Plan Competition Networking Night in January 2009. There will be opportunities to meet with lot of students and pitch your idea to them.
I was wondering what the rules were about competing two years in a row?
There are no rules against this. Students are welcome and encouraged to participate as many times as they want – as long as they are a student (enrolled in a degree seeking program in Washington state) or have a student on their team.
I am wondering if I am able to choose my own company and work with one potential business partner who is not a student.
That is okay as long as your business falls within the following guidelines: http://bschool.washington.edu/cie/BPC/rules.shtml
Is there a cumulative score, or does each team start on equal footing in each individual round? Are there any points carried from round to round?
Points are not carried from round to round, but the teams are seeded for the Sweet 16 panels.
Can I change the name of the business at some point during the competition? If I can, do I run the risk of judges not remembering my plan because of the name
change or will the name change be made clear?
Yes, you are allowed to change the name. If you’re concerned, you could reference the name change in your documents (one-page executive summary or business plan).
Can I have more than 4 members on my team?
You can have as many people on your team as your like; there is no official limit. Most teams are 3-5 people, but you can do whatever makes the most sense for you.
However, only four teammates can pitch at a time during the Investment Round. If you have more than four team members, you can tradeoff.
Is the list of judges for the Business Plan Competition available to the participants?
We don't release our judge lists for any of the rounds.
Do Judges or Coaches usually sign NDAs (non-disclosure agreements)?
No, judges and coaches do not sign NDAs.
How many judges are there typically?
This depends on the round. Here's the approximate breakdown:
| Screening round |
8 - 10 judges will see your plan |
| Investment round |
150 judges |
| Sweet 16 |
Closed session with 7 judges |
| Final round |
7 judges and open to the public |
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Info About ENTRE 540
Will I get 2 credits for simply submitting the executive summary for BPC?
In order to get credit for the BPC, you have to register for it. If you make it to the Investment Round and are a graduate student at UW, you can register for ENTRE 540 for two credits.
What should go in my executive summary?
This 5-7 page document is the overview of your business plan/business idea. It should incorporate what you’ve learned in the Resource Nights.
Elements to be sure to cover can be found at: http://foster.washington.edu/cie/PDF/2008_BPC_Judging_Criteria.pdf
I’m part of a team. Can we all submit one executive summary together?
Yes, but you need to be sure that the name of each team member is listed on the front.
Will this executive summary enter me into the Business Plan Competition?
No, this is your “trial run” before entering the Competition. The actual submission date for the Competition is Thursday, April 3. Handing in your executive summary for credit purposes on Thursday, March 13 WILL NOT enter you into the Business Plan Competition.
Can I register for ENTRE 540 this spring term?
If your executive summary submission (due on April 3) makes it past the Screening Round (meaning it’s accepted into the Investment Round), you will have the option of adding ENTRE 540 to your schedule for two credits. However, you won’t be emailed about this opportunity until Monday, April 7 so don’t bank on these credits.
Can a student register for ENTRE 540 if they didn’t enroll in the Winter Resources Nights for credit?
Yes, registration for winter and spring ENTRE 540 are mutually exclusive, but be sure to see the caveat above!
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Intent to Submit
How do I submit letter of intent for submitting business plan for BPC?
You can do this on-line. Visit this website to access to the form: http://bschool.washington.edu/cie/BPC/forms.shtml.
How does the Intent to Submit affect my standing in the competition?
The Intent to Submit is not required, but highly recommended. What you put down for the intent to submit does not affect how you will do in the BPC. We’re looking for basic information about your company/business plan.
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Screening Round
Regarding the 5-7 page executive summary and the Full length business plan, are there guidelines for the length of the appendix?
There are no specific guidelines for the appendix, however, it should not be more than a few pages. Please keep your audience (the judges) in mind when compiling the appendix.
If a team goes over the 7 page limit with their executive summary is it automatically disqualified?
No, it will not automatically be disqualified. However, we do ask that people keep the executive summaries to 5 - 7 pages for the judges' sake.
Is a PDF file for the executive summary acceptable?
Yes, it’s preferred.
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Investment Round
How many people can present in the Investment Round?
At the Investment Round, no more than four team members, including both students and non-students, can present to the judges at one time.
Will the judges in this round have seen our 5 – 7 page executive summary?
Some may have seen it if they were a Screening Round judge. However, the majority will not have seen it. All judges will be given a copy of each teams' one-page executive summary
several days before the competition.
Where I should park for the investment round? Where is the HUB Ballroom located?
Click here to see where the HUB is located. When you arrive on campus, stop at any of the gatehouses, and
tell the attendant that you are going to the HUB (Husky Union Building). They will direct you to the closest parking, which will probably be Padelford. The Padelford Parking Garage
can also be seen on the HUB map (link above). It is northeast of the HUB. Parking on-campus is $11 for the day. You can pay with cash, check or credit card. The West Ballroom is
on the second floor of the HUB and there are signs in the building that will direct you.
I was wondering you are able to tell me what place my team finished in the investment round?
We don’t disclose the order that teams finish in the Investment Round.
Would it be possible to distribute copies of all the one-pagers from the investment round to everyone? Can I see other teams’ executive summaries?
We can't distribute copies of all the one page summaries without getting permission from everyone. However, feel free to contact teams directly if you want to see their executive summary. They may share it with you.
We will have space to use a LCD Projector?
Yes, you should have space to use a LCD. However, please bring white paper or a screen to project onto. We will not be able to supply this to teams.
Can I choose any font size for my one-page executive summary?
Yes, we purposely don’t give you a lot of guidelines on this so you can create a document that best represents your company. However, if the font is so small that it is difficult to read, that will work against you.
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Coaching Round
Will other teams be able to see our presentation during the Coaching Round?
No, all rounds are closed except for the Final Round, which is open to the public.
Sweet 16/Final Round
How many students at a minimum must present at the Sweet 16 and Final Round?
At a minimum, one student must make the presentation.
How long is the Sweet 16 presentation?
15 min. to present and 15 min. for Q&A.
Could you tell me about who sees the presentations?
At the Sweet 16, only judges and room monitors see the presentations. However, the Final Round is open to the public.
If my teammate is a not enrolled in college, can he/she still present with me?
Unfortunately, if your teammate is not enrolled in a degree seeking program at a college of university in Washington state, he/she cannot present with you. However, your teammate
can be on hand to answer questions from the judges.
Who will have access to our full business plan?
During the competition, only judges will have access to your plans. Judges are entrepreneurs, alumni of the competition, service providers (lawyers, bankers, consultants, etc.), VCs, and angel investors. We personally invite all the judges and many have been judging the competition for years.
Will other competition participants or attendants have access to our full business plan?
Not during the competition. After the competition we do let future BPC participants look at past plans, but we only give them hard copies and they cannot leave our office with the plans or make copies of them. If you were concerned about the content of your plan, you could opt out of this.
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Promoting learning and
discovery in entrepreneurship
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Contact Information
Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Michael G. Foster School of Business
Lewis Hall 320, Box 353200
P: 206-616-3691
Email: uwcie@u.washington.edu
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