Rules and Regulations

Format

A total of TWO (2) hard copies of your StartUP! Business Plan must be submitted and one (1) electronic copy on CD. One copy must be bound and one copy unbound with no staples, tape or other fasteners. The Business Plan should be no longer than 20 pages, excluding financial statements. The font should be no less than Arial 12 point  with no less than 1 inch margins on all sides.  No Appendixes will be accepted.

The competition sponsors will not reimburse entrants for any expenses related to or developing from the compilation or assembly of your business plan for entry to the competition. Working models or prototypes will not be accepted. Copies of the business plan will not be returned and will be destroyed shortly after the competition has ended.

The Business Plan must contain the following:

1. Cover Page with Names of Team Members, Street address, Telephone number, name of preparer, date business plan was created, and email address of the applicant.

2. Team entries must include the names of all team members, street addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of all Team Members

3. A Table of Contents with page numbers

4. One-page Statement of Purpose including how much money is being requested, what the money will be used for and a summary table outlining 3-5 years of Gross Revenue, Operating Margin and Net Profit.

5. One-page Executive Summary

6. The five elements of a business plan as outlined below.

Elements Of A Business Plan

Business Plans are expected to address the following topics, as relevant to the proposed business. The Business Plans can follow any model but must address core elements of a business plan as described below.

    1.      Description of Business/Business Model                                   

a.    What is the product or service?

b.    Example - A product might be designing and making shoes or making birthday cakes. A service might be repairing shoes and handbags for planning parties. Or, your business could offer a product AND a service such as both making and repairing shoes.

c.     Is the business opportunity attractive and realistic?

d.     How will you develop the product or service?

e.     How will it make money and will it continue to be sustainable?

2.     Identification and Description of the Market

a.     Is there a market for your business? Describe your market.

b.     What is the location and size of the market? Describe your customers.

c.     What companies are currently serving this market? Identify and analyze you competitors.

d.     What are the dynamics and trends of your industry – how does your business fit into the outlook for this industry?

e.     Based on your market research, what is the marketing strategy for the product or service? Include Product, Place, Price and Promotion components of your Marketing Strategy

 3.    Management and Employees

a.    Are the duties of the management team clearly identified and outlined in the plan?

b.    Does the team have the skills and experience to run the business?

c.     How many employees are needed, and how will they be trained and compensated?

d.    What functions will be handled by consultants, independent contractors, and other out-source services? Identify and describe these independent business service providers.

e.    Example - Accountants, sales agents, computer  professionals. 

4.     Development Plan, SWOT Analysis and Risk Assessments

a.    What are your plans to develop this business? Include a chart that includes tasks, start date, end date, cost, and responsibility.

b.    What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to this business

c.    What will you do to mitigate all the risk? 

5.     Financial Plan

a.    Financial statements, including projections for 3-5 years

b.    What is the required amount of capital to start the business and how will it be spent?

c.    Are the financial projections realistic and based on solid analysis?

d.    3-5 Year Summary Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Statement of Cashflows

e.    Monthly Income Statement and Statement of Cashflow for the first year of operations.

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