The Business Plan Competition

The University of Delaware Business Plan Competition (BPC) was created to find new venture ideas and build successful businesses, as well as to provide education and networking opportunities for students. It is a process for students to turn great ideas into great businesses. The Competition encourages participants to take an idea from the concept phase to a full business plan, and create the opportunity to build a new venture. The process is designed for students  at the University of Delaware. The participation of students not enrolled in an entrepreneurial or business curriculum is also welcomed. Faculty and staff ideas are also eligible provided that at least one student is on the team and actively participating.

Download Competition Poster

All business ventures are welcome to enter.  The ventures that are most likely to succeed in this competition have one or more of the following attributes:

• Have growth potential- i.e., are scalable

• Involve technology or the use of technology (e.g., internet)

• Involve intellectual property or know-how that can be protected

• Have a “Branding” concept that  is well understood

• The venture is attractive to institutional investors

   

• The components of a business plan
• Worksheets for plan development
• How business plan reviewers approach business plans
• How you can enhance your plan to make it appealing to investors.

You will also have an opportunity to meet SBDC Business Advisors and recruit them to work with you on your plan for the competition. There is no fee for attending the workshop, but preregistration is required. Email bpclerner [dot] udel [dot] edu to reserve your space.

Link to past winners

The listing below provides a link to more detailed information on all aspects of the program:
 

• How do I participate?
• Sponsors
• Participant eligibility  requirements
• Judges
• Business eligibility requirements
• Bus Plan Phase I Guidelines
• Bus Plan Phase II Guidelines
• Bus Plan Phase III Guidelines
• Competition Prizes
• Confidentiality
• Process & Timeline
• Past Winners

For more information on this competition, contact the Competition Staff.

How do I participate?  back
The University of Delaware seeks submissions by student entrepreneurs with business ideas having substantial growth potential.

A number of alumni have business ideas and are looking for students that would like to develop business plans and compete.  Please contact bpclerner [dot] udel [dot] edu if you would like to participate in the competition as part of another team or using an alumni idea.

The 2008/09 Schedule is being finalized, the tentative schedule is:

2008/09 Schedule

All submissions must be in Word (.doc) or PDF format and submitted electronically to bpclerner [dot] udel [dot] edu .

You are welcome to submit at any stage of the competition, regardless of whether you have participated in an earlier phase. The extensive feedback available at each phase will give a distinct advantage to teams who refine their business concept through all phases of the competition.

Qualified mentors are also being sought.  Mentors advise students and encourage them throughout the process.

Participant eligibility requirements? back

A business concept, overview or plan may be submitted by an individual or by a team, as long as at least one student is on the team and that student(s) are active in the competition.  Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to build teams across schools at the University of Delaware. Individual competitors and teams are encouraged to seek the assistance and participation of UD faculty, alumni, post-docs, researchers and staff.

Business eligibility requirements back

Any submission must be the original work of the submitting team. If you have questions about the status of your submission, please contact the Business Plan Competition Administrator, (see Competition Staff link) for clarification before entering.  If your idea is technology based, it is important that you include a section in your business plan entitled Intellectual Property, Inventions and Technologies, which deals with the question of technology ownership. In other words, "Are you the inventor of this technology?" If you do not understand this question, or are in doubt of the answer, please contact the Competition Staff .

The University of Delaware Business Plan Competition is primarily for current students of the University of Delaware. The competition is real-world experience. To ensure your eligibility, please adhere to the spirit of the Competition when building your teams and choosing a concept to refine and present. The judges reserve the right to disqualify any entry that in its sole judgment violates either the letter or the spirit of the Competition.

Competition Prizes back

Prize money is provided by the generous support of competition sponsors.  For 2009, the prize categories will be at the discretion of the judges. 

Confidentiality back

Many of the judges we ask to participate in the University of Delaware Business Plan Competition are venture capitalists, investment bankers and other financial investment professionals. As a general practice, these financial investment professionals seldom sign confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements. However, participants in the Competition should understand, and can be confident that the judges selected will respect the confidential nature of all submissions and honor the spirit of the Competition.

Any submission should be assumed "public disclosure" in the eyes of US PTO (US Patent and Trademark Office). Participants whose ideas or inventions may be patentable may want to consult counsel prior to disclosure.

The public is invited to the Finalist's Presentations.