CONTEST RULES 

We take the rules of the competition seriously to ensure a fair and equitable competition for all participants. Please read through the rules carefully before registering for the competition:

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1. Eligibility: The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a university at the time of the competition, and early stage entrepreneurs.
    

2. Team Size: Competitors may compete in teams or as individuals.  Each team must have at least one student who is a member of the team, and must consist of at least two but no more than five members.
    

3. Registration: To register for the competition, contestant must first apply here. Afterward, the contestant(s) must submit an application form by the registration deadline. If working in a team, the form must also include the names and contact information of any team members, and a team name.
    

4. Idea Ownership: The idea and business plan submitted for the competition must be original and owned by the team / individual contestant. The idea cannot be copied from an existing business or from other competitors. 
    

5. Business Plan and Format: Competitors must submit a business plan that includes the following sections: Executive Summary, Company Description, Market Analysis, Product or Service Line, Marketing and Sales Strategy, Financial Projections, and Management and Ownership Structure.
    

6. Idea Pitch Submission: In addition to submitting the business idea in the form of writing, competitors must submit a 2-minute video pitch of their idea. The link to the video must be included in the business idea write-up. There is no formatting requirement on the submission.
    

7. Presentation Criteria: Contestants or teams must present their business plan in English during the preliminary and final rounds of the competition. Presentations must be no longer than 15 minutes and must be followed by a Q&A session with the judges.
    

8. Submission Deadline: Before 11:59PM EST, Sunday (4/16)
    

9. Judging Criteria: The submissions will be evaluated based on the clarity of the idea or business plan, feasibility, innovation, and market potential.and their ability to answer questions from the judges.
    

10. Intellectual property: Contestants and teams retain ownership of their business idea and intellectual property. However, by participating in the competition, contestants grant the organizers of the IEC the right to use their name, likeness, and business idea for promotional purposes.
     

11. Code of conduct: All participants are expected to adhere to a code of conduct that promotes professionalism, respect, and integrity. Any violation of the code of conduct may result in disqualification from the competition.
     

12. Final Round: The finalists will be selected based on the evaluation of their idea pitch and business plan. The finalists will be required to present their business plan in front of a panel of judges.Judges will evaluate the idea pitches and select the best teams to move to the final round. The results will be announced before Sunday, 4/23.
     

13. Code of Conduct: Competitors must abide by a code of conduct that includes ethical behavior and professionalism throughout the competition.
     

14. Disqualification: Competitors who violate the rules of the competition or engage in unethical or unprofessional behavior may be disqualified from the competition.
     

15. Changes: The organizers of the competition reserve the right to make changes to the rules or the competition format at any time, including changes to the business challenge, or the awards.

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We hope these rules provide a clear understanding of what is expected of all participants in the Shih Chien International Entrepreneurship Competition. Good luck and we look forward to seeing your entrepreneurial ideas come to life!