FINALIST TEAMS OF 2010 GLOBAL STUDENT CHALLENGE
First Place Winning Team:
- Ecosy - Vincent Murray and Colm Connolly of Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- EasyCheck - Inbal Gutman, Hadas Geva, Efrat Nel, and Shahar Peled of the Ruppin Academic Center, Israel
- T2T - Ben Giambrone and Sinan Assaf of the University of Kent, England
THE CHALLENGE
This September 9 elite student teams from around the world will gather in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA to celebrate global entrepreneurship and to compete for the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Challenge Trophy. The objectives of the challenge are to celebrate the energy and ingenuity of university students, recognize their important contributions to the global economy, and encourage students to develop their entrepreneurial ideas.
The VT KnowledgeWorks Global Student Challenge will be held at the The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, including:
September 1, 2010
| 10:00
a.m.
|
Entrepreneurship
in the 21st Century
By Jim Flowers, Director of VT KnowledgeWorks |
|
| 12:30
p.m.
|
Buffet
Lunch
|
|
| 1:30
p.m.
|
Entrepreneurship
in the 21st Century Continued
|
|
| 5:30
p.m.
|
Networking
Reception
|
|
| 7:00
p.m.
|
NCTC
Fall Gala
|
September 2, 2010
| 8:00
a.m.
|
Continental
Breakfast
|
|
| 8:30
a.m.
|
Global
Student Business Concept Challenge
|
|
| 12:30
p.m.
|
Awards
Presentation and Lunch
|
|
$25,000
PRIZE
Students will compete for a $25,000 grand
prize and VT KnowledgeWorks Global Challenge
Trophy. The Award itself is a travelling trophy
that will reside throughout the year at the home
institution of the winning student team. At the
close of each annual celebration and final competition
the name of the winning team, their university name, and
their home city will be etched into the base of the
trophy as a permanent tribute to their outstanding
effort. The top two runners-up will receive $2,500
cash awards, as well.
Thanks to our generous sponsors
participating students will incur no food or lodging
expenses during their week-long stay in
Virginia. Expenses per student include only
transportation to and from their home countries to the
Roanoke Regional
Airport, and a minimal competition
and event registration fee. Faculty
or chaperones accompanying student teams will receive
special rates for hotel lodging, and will be included
in many meal-time events, but will, unfortunately not
be fully subsidized. Please contact Lindsey Eversole if you have
any questions.
ELIGIBILITY
Only full-time, university students are
eligible to participate in the Global Student Business
Concept Challenge. Students may elect to work in teams of
up to five members. Eligibility for the finals is based
on winning a significant student business concept
competition in the team's home region. Each
regional institution desiring to send a winning student
team to The Challenge must register via the Intent to Compete
submission online.
If a University/Institution is interested in sending a
student team to the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Challenge
but does not currently run a student competition in their
region, please contact Lindsey Eversole. We recommend
using this Competition
Model if the University is interested
in running their first-ever student business concept
competition in their home region.
REGISTRATION
1. Reserve a spot for the winning student team in your
region at the Global Student Business Concept
Challenge. Each institution must submit an
Intent to Compete registration
online. A $250 team participation fee is required with
the registration online. To pay by check or wire
transfer please contact Lindsey Eversole for more
information. You will also need to submit a completed
Intent to Compete Form upon
payment by check or wire transfer.
2. Once your institution receives email confirmation of a
reserved place in the finals, each member of your winning
student team and any accompanying faculty or chaperones
must register
individually. Personal reservations will be
available online and registration will close July 30,
2010.
3. Please direct any questions to Lindsey Eversole to ensure a
student team’s eligibility. All student presentations
at the Challenge must be made in English.
PRESENTATION
GUIDELINES
Each student finalist will present their business
concepts at The Hotel Roanoke before a panel of judges,
as well as event attendees. Student teams should prepare
their presentation and PowerPoint based on the following
requirements:
- Presentation Guidelines
- Judging Criteria: Judges will rank the finalists; and awards will be presented at the Awards Ceremony immediately to follow.
|
|
Maximum Score
|
| Clear Description of Product or
Service and its Features
|
10
|
| Concise Description of Underlying
Technology and Required Development for Product
or Service
|
10
|
| Expected Customer Base and Match of
Product/Service Characteristics to Their Needs
|
20
|
| Market Size Description (growth rate,
etc)
|
10
|
| Competitive Position in the Chosen
Market
|
20
|
| Value Proposition: How will the
company make money
|
20
|
|
Funding Needs and
Potential Sources
|
10
|
|
Total
|
100
|
SCHEDULE OF
EVENTS
August 29 ~ September 4, 2010
The contest
finals are part of a week-long celebration of student
entrepreneurship, including:
Sunday, August 29
- Student teams arrive and meet host families
- Late start for jet-lag relief
- Student teams meet their host companies
- Formal welcome dinner hosted by Virginia Tech Office of Outreach and International Affairs
- Student teams continue host company experience
- Student teams meet Virginia Tech student hosts for campus tour and shopping
- Informal indoor/outdoor dinner
- Student teams shift to the Hotel Roanoke
- Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Workshop
- Networking Reception
- NewVA Corridor Technology Council Annual Gala Dinner
- VT KnowledgeWorks Global Student Business Concept Challenge and Awards. Student presentations at the Challenge must be made in English.
- Return to Blacksburg for reception, informal dinner, and further recognition of student team winners
- Student teams re-join host companies
- Extended shopping opportunity at New River Mall
- Student teams join VT students at The German Club for cookout and party
- Departure