UNICUS is V.J.T.I. E-CELL’S BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION.

UNICUS suggests uniqueness and this competition aims to bring the unique ideas of budding entrepreneurs in front of the people. UNICUS aims to provide young Entrepreneurs with an opportunity to present their B-Plans in front of Venture Capitalists.

 UPDATES:

Prizes worth INR 50,000.

“Who knows what future has in store for you & your plan might get funded by Venture Capitalists. So what are you waiting for, get going guys!!”

1. There is no registration fee.

2. Participants will have to register online.

3. An individual or the team of individuals can participate but maximum members in a team can be 5.

4. Contestants can take part in other business plan competitions as well.

5. One contestant can send more than one Business Plan. But, you will have to register separately for each B-Plan that you/your team submits.

6. Entries need to have an innovative value (An innovative concept provides a solution for a new need, or offers a new way of fulfilling an existing need. The concept makes a clear advancement compared to existing products, services or technologies)

7. Contestants should register online for the first round and should always use their TEAM NAME for any future correspondence.

8. Entries submitted after the deadlines will not be considered.

9. The Name given to the Idea/Entry is not subject to change.

10. The judges, mentors and the organizers will take the utmost care in handling the entries, and will guarantee the utmost confidence.

11. Every contestant must agree with the rules of the contest and must agree to accept the declaration of confidentiality.

12. Contestants must agree to accept that their registration form and other entries will not be returned to them, and accept that their personal data will be available for statistical purposes.

13. Entries remain the property of the legal owner.

14. The rules and the rounds mentioned are tentative and are subject to change in future.

* Any person currently enrolled in a university or an educational institute is a student.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Students and Working Professionals from all over the country can participate.

2. Individual participation is allowed in the Competition though participation in teams is encouraged.

3. Though it must be noted that teams who have registered their company/startup before the span of last one year, are not eligible to participate in UNICUS 2010

4. Entries must be the original work of entrants.

Entries will be accepted for the following categories:

· Clean and Green Technology

· Core Sciences

· Telecommunication

· Biotechnology

· Web Portals · Electronics

· Manufacturing

· Service

· Entertainment

· IT-Software

· Retail · Power

· Banking/Finance

· Hospitality

· HRD

· Consultanc

· Food Processing

· Tourism

Note: Entries which do not fall into any of the above can be entered under Other

Judges will be looking for evidence of the following:

· Sustainability: Does the venture provide solutions, services, or products which reduce environmental impacts or enhance ecological sustainability. Preference will be given to plans that offer innovative products, services, and/or business models, as opposed to plans that offer incremental improvements to existing business practices and products.

· Viability: What is the likelihood of the business plan actually becoming the basis for a viable business?

· Feasibility: Does the venture make sense? Could it be a real business?

· Innovation: Does the business concept embody innovation and creativity?

· Marketability: Is the product/service marketable? Is there a demand?

· Risk: Is the venture stable and growth oriented or speculative and risky? Does it have high sensitivity to the actions of competitors, technology, the industry, etc.?

· Profitability: Will the venture be profitable? Have all the key financial considerations been taken into account in the projections? Does the return justify the investment and the risk? What is the time to break even?

· Exit Strategy: How and when the exit will likely happen? Is the strategy appropriate?

· Milestones: Are they real?

· Management: Is the management knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and committed to the venture? Can they execute it? Do they have experience and credibility?

· Scalability: Can the core idea be scaled?

Teams will register by filling the details in the EXCEL sheet given below. They should mail the EXCEL sheet along with the Executive Summary i.e. a 2-page B-plan Description to unicus10@gmail.com. Refer to TABLE OF CONTENTS for what to write in an executive summary.

Registered teams will get a confirmation mail within 24 hours after registration.

Download the Excel Sheet

Round 1: Elimination Round In this round, teams will register on www.technovanza.org and mail an Executive Summary i.e. a two page Business Description. Out of these, 20 best entries will be shortlisted for Round 2.

Registrations after the deadline will not be accepted. 

Round 2: Written Business Plan

On 22nd January, 2010 20 teams will be shortlisted for Round 2. Each of these 20 shortlisted teams will mail its written business plan before the deadline date which is 25th January, 2010.

AS THE TIME BETWEEN ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS AND SUBMISSION OF B-PLANS IS ONLY 3 DAYS, TEAMS WILL HAVE TO KEEP THEIR B-PLANS READY EVEN BEFORE ANNOUNCEMENT OF SHORLISTED TEAMS.

The Business Plan must contain the following:

1. The name, the telephone number, and the email address of the entrant.

2. Team entries must include the names, the telephone numbers, and the email addresses of each member.

The Business Plan is expected to address the following topics, as relevant to the proposed business.

The plan can follow any model but must address the core elements as described below.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: (This is just a guideline. Teams may add or omit certain details at their own risk)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – Two Page BUSINESS DESCRIPTION

• Owner(s) – Name

• Legal structure

• Summary description of product or service

• Goals

OPERATIONS

• How will you manufacture your product or provide your service?

• Key personnel or subcontractors

• Key suppliers

• What are your equipment requirements?

• What kind of space is needed (e.g.: office, factory, retail, home)? Will it be leased or owned? How will it be financed?

• Location – suitability of physical features of the site, including zone qualifications. Describe the neighborhood and its suitability for your business.

MANAGEMENT & STAFF

• Owner(s) – job descriptions, resumes and salaries

• Sales, Marketing, Accounting personnel – will these be employees or consultants?

• Employees – how many and how much will they be paid? What are their job descriptions?

MARKETING PLAN

A. Product description

• Description

• Features/Benefits

B. Market Analysis

• Industry trends and competition - Industry outlook and/or new developments that will impact your business

• Customer analysis, including identifying target market

• Competitor analysis - who are your competitors and what do they have that you do not?

• Market Potential - market size & potential growth

C. Market Objectives, Strategies, & Tactics

• Product Lines • Positioning

• Packaging/Branding

• Pricing Strategy - A First Look

• Placement (Distribution)

• Promotional Strategies

• Customer Service

FINANCIALS – Two Years

• Startup Costs • Cash Flow

• Income Statement

• Balance Sheet

Out of the 20 teams, 5 teams will be shortlisted for the final round to be held during Technovanza 2010 on 5th February, 2010.

Points earned in this round will be carried forward to the last round.

Round 3: Verbal Presentation (5th February, 2010) This is the final and the most important round of UNICUS 2010. In this round each team will be given 15 to 25 minutes to present their plan. All presentations should be prepared on Microsoft Power Point only. This will be followed up by a Q&A session where the judges can seek clarifications with regards to the team’s proposal.

GUIDELINES for Written Business Plan:

Executive Summary: Is it clear, exciting and effective as an overall summary of the business plan? Does it pique the interest of the reader as a bona fide business opportunity?

Background: Does it describe the purpose of the business, history of the company, genesis of the business concept, overall strategy, and the organizational culture and values of the business?

Business Concept/Product or Services Offered: Does it describe the features and benefits of the product or service brought to the market? Does it have any proprietary features that need to be protected? Does it address the potential factors that stand in the way of success?

Industry: Does the Plan describe the industry in which the business intends to compet, and the current nature of the competition in that industry?

Target Audience: Does the Plan describe target customer, the needs of that customer group, and the manner in which those needs will be met by the business.

Operations: Is there a plan for the production/delivery of the product or services? Have the issues of margins, operational complexity, resource requirements, technology, intellectual property, and operations/delivery practices and procedures been appropriately addressed?

Market Analysis, Sales and Marketing Strategy: Is there an analysis of the market, needs identification, customer profiles, potential market share, selling premise, demographic trends and the regulatory environment? Is there an appropriate sales and promotional strategy? Is there a competitive analysis and plan for addressing unexpected events?

Management/Human Resources: What are the backgrounds and expertise of key individuals? Are they equipped to address the strategic needs of the organization? What are the personnel needs of the business, and what is the appropriate organizational structure?

Financials: Are they presented in a form that is easily read and understood? Are they consistent with good accounting principles? Are they effective in capturing projected financial performance? Do they include an income statement, balance sheet and cash flow analysis on a monthly basis for year 1, quarterly for years 2-3 and annually for years 4-5? Do they include and required funds analysis, a break-even analysis and a discussion of trends and assumptions? Do they indicate that the team has a solid understanding of the financial requirements of the business?

Analysis: Are financial and non-financial risks addressed? Are external risks (e.g., interest rates, unemployment, economic growth, etc.) addressed? Are unexpected events and the business’s potential responses to them addressed? What is the impact on customers and competitive advantage if these risks materialize?

Viability: Is the market opportunity and success potential worth moving forward with the plan? Does management have the capability to implement and achieve the business plan? Does this business have a legitimate chance of being successful in light of the overall business plan? Can the capital needed to operate the business be raised?

Clarity: Is the plan well-written and concise?

GUIDELINES for Verbal Presentation:

The judges will be asked to evaluate verbal presentations made by the competition finalists and may use the following as judging guidelines.

Formal Presentation

· Are the materials are presented in a clear, logical, sequential and informative manner?

· How well do the individuals function as a team? · Is the team persuasive in its key points?

· Does the team maintain the interest of the judges?

· Are the visual aids helpful in making the case for the business?

· Does the team make good use of the time allotted?

Questions and Answers

· Does the team understand the judges’ inquiries and answer the questions posed?

· Does the team show poise and confidence, and an ability to think well on their feet?

Mail to : unicus10@gmail.com