Startup! Annual Business Plan Competition

The 2010 Fordham Business Plan Competition Video:

The Fordham University Business Plan Competition is open to students and alumni from any Fordham University school. Winners receive up to $10,000 in prize money. Take control of your life--be the navigator of your own destiny. Whether it's now or later...entering the Fordham Business Plan Competition will provide you with more career options. Learn, Network & Grow!

- Don't have a business idea but possess skills you'd like to lend to a startup?
- Wish to mentor a startup venture, coach a finalist, screen or judge?
If so, contact us for more information by emailing: elizabethingrassia@yahoo.com

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Video of the 2010 Fordham Business Plan Competition Finals

About the Competition

The Fordham Business Plan Competition is an integrated learning experience allowing students and alumni from any Fordham School to apply all aspects for their education. While the primary objective of the competition is to educate participants about the entrepreneurial process of creating and launching new business ventures, the Competition also provides a terrific platform for learning how to evaluate business concepts, showcasing entrepreneurial talent at Fordham, networking participants with the entrepreneurial and venture community, and harnessing Fordham University's and its communities resources. Winners of the Competition receive up to $10,000 in prize money, and learn a tremendous amount about the entrepreneurial process as they journey through the competition activities and events.

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Who Can Enter

Alumni and/or students from any Fordham University school. No prior business courses or experience is necessary. The only requirement is that at least one member of each participating team be either an alumnus or current student of any program/degree from a school within Fordham.  This is a learning opportunity and as such, is designed to encourage participation. 

You may enter the competition as an individual or as a group (strongly encouraged). If you do not have an idea but would like to join a team, or if you need to find teammates, just let us know by emailing us. We’ll try to help you find others with the interests, talent and skills you seek. Also refer to our  Resources section, as you may be able to find an existing startup and invite them to join you for the competition.

Funding and Operating History Considerations: A team is ineligible if it has been conducting business for over two years, and/or received more than $500,000 in outside financing or any institutional funding (venture capital, private equity, hedge funds, corporate funds, etc).

Re-entrants: If a participant previously entered the competition, he/she may re-enter only with a substantially different venture idea.

Awards and rewards: Members of the winning team must sign a Prize Agreement and follow the agreement rules. Prize Money is not guaranteed every year. The Judges will determine whether or not the winning team will be awarded the full prize money, or some portion of it. In some cases, a winner and runner up will be selected, and if so, the judges will determine the allocation of prize money.

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How to Submit Your Plan

Submission Procedures and Business Plan Guidelines: Download Here

Be sure you email your word document and excel spreadsheet all in one PDF, carefully labeled with the name of your business plan. On the cover sheet, be sure to include all team member's names, email addresses and other contact information.

Evaluation Criteria Used by Screeners and Judges: Download Here

Other Important Evaluation Criteria:

  • Funding
    The startup does not need to be one that requires venture capital unless that is appropriate or needed. However, submitted business plans must state how each entrant proposes to fund their venture.
  • Scale
    All scales of business will be considered, however, we do not view favorably those ventures that lack a vision for growth.

Key Dates: (see table below)

REGISTER EARLY!

Anytime between
Sept. and March 15th you may Register.

 

Benefits to registering Early include being aligned with Mentors early in the process!

Registration:
To sign up, Click Here or send an email to Elizabeth Ingrassia: elizabethingrassia@yahoo.com (CC: Michael Bowser bowser.michael@gmail.com) *

In your email include the following:

  • Your full contact information (email address, cell phone, alternate phone, name)
  • The name of the Fordham affiliated member, their school and graduation year
  • The name of the business plan
  • The primary industry of the business
  • A brief description (max two paragraphs) of the business concept
  • Names of all teammates, and their corresponding emails, telephone numbers
  • If we were able to find you a mentor, what would be the skill sets or areas of expertise for which you believe you need the greatest guidance. You may include more than one. For example, “We need help with our financial projections, and also would benefit by gaining guidance in the fashion industry. “

March 15

Deadline:  Business Plans are Due

  • Email the plan to both Elizabeth Ingrassia and Michael Bowser at elizabethingrassia@yahoo.com, forhdameventrsvp@gmail.com  (try to include the financials in the same document) AND, in addition to emailing the business plan,
  • Mail or drop off two (2) copies of your plan to Ingrassia c/o Faculty Center, 113 West 60th Street, 6th Floor.

April 5th

Finalists selected and announced via email.

  • Coaches will be assigned to the finalists

May 24th

Event:  Business Plan Competition Finals

  • Finalists present plans to Judges (Prominent Panel of Angel Investors)
  • Awards Ceremony & Reception

* At least one member of the team must be a student or alum from Fordham (including Law, Business, College of Arts & Sciences, etc.)

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Resources

For All Aspects of Building and Presenting a Business Plan:

For Structuring Your Financial Projections (Courtesy of Professor Christine Tan):

For Finding the "BIG IDEA" (if you don't already have one):

For those of you who do not have an idea but would like to enter the competition, we suggest you contact some of the startup companies housed in the programs below. You could inquire to see if they would like to enroll you to help them refine their business plan and/or enter them into the Fordham Business Plan Competition, where you would be one of the presenters. There would be no strings attached; should the company win, they do not need to hire you, nor share with you the prize money. The purpose would be for you to learn about startups in general and their business as it relates to the entrepreneurial process. They would only qualify for entry, by being partnered with you, the Fordham student or alumnus. Who knows, maybe they'll hire you afterall!

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