Rowan University Business Plan Competition

2010 Rohrer Business Plan Competition

All matriculated undergraduate and graduate students as well as 2009 Rowan University graduates are invited to compete for the $5,000 first place prize!

The William G. Rohrer Business Plan Competition is a competition to encourage students and individuals to pursue entrepreneurial ventures and develop high-growth businesses. The competition aims to educate and prepare students for future opportunities in entrepreneurship, and does so by providing a forum in which participants may present their ideas to win cash prizes to help with their business ventures.

The competition is divided into four main phases:

* Phase 1: Submit Business Plan Competition Application (Deadline: September 28)
* Phase 2: Submit Feasibility Analysis to be screened (Deadline: Nov. 2) ~ Results will be announced Nov. 23
* Phase 3: Finalists will submit Business Plan (Deadline: Jan. 21)
* Phase 4: Finalists will present their Business Plan and Concept to a panel of judges (Date: March 6)

Phase 1: Submission of Materials

Team or individual registrations must be submitted online through YouNoodle. Information regarding submissions to YouNoodle will be available soon. All teams registered will be eligible to submit a feasibility analysis in Phase 2.

To enter you must complete all requested information about team members and the proposed business. Additionally, teams must include, in a space provided for this purpose, an Executive Summary no more than three pages in length discussing their proposed concept and business.

Submission of information is due Sept. 28

You will receive confirmation of your submission via e-mail within 1 week.


Phase 2: Feasibility Analysis

Submit Feasibility Analysis to be screened - Deadline: Nov. 2 ~ Results will be announced Nov. 23

The plan must be written for a seed or start-up stage venture and must address the entire business concept including implementation.

Feasibilities are limited to 15 pages (12pt Times New Roman, double spaced). This limitation includes the executive summary and summary financial data.

Appendices should be included only when they support the findings, statements and observations in the plan. Due to the expected number of teams entering the competition, reviewers and judges may not be able to read all of the material in the appendices.

Judges will review and score the feasibility (see scoring criteria). Finalists will be notified of their opportunity to advance to the final phase of the Competition. Teams will have 1 month to prepare their business plans and another 3 weeks to prepare their oral presentations.

Phase 3: Business Plan

Plans are limited to 30 pages (12pt Times New Roman, double spaced). This limitation includes the executive summary, all financial data, and appendices.

Those who have submitted the business plan will be eligible to move onto Phase 4, the final phase.

Phase 4: Oral Presentation

Finalists selected to make oral presentations will be required to follow the Event Presentation Guidelines. In order to maximize presentation time we recommend that the presentation cover the following points. Presentations will be limited to 15 minutes in length, including questions and answers.

1. Venture concept – A clear concept of the business must be presented to the judges. The idea must be believable and plausible
2. Market opportunity – A successful venture concept may have a good idea, but will not succeed unless there is a demand for the product/service.
3. Technology – In any product/service related startup, the judges realize that the most advanced technology is not always a plausible idea to have. However a team can improve their image and score by introducing new technology, or creating a new use for existing technology.
4. Protecting proprietary rights – All teams must mention their plan or previous action in protecting their proprietary rights. A business idea is useless to the creator if it can be copied immediately by competitors.
5. Manufacturing (if applicable) – A brief description of the manufacturing plans are necessary in order to prove that the startup venture was well thought out, and is taking into account all expenses.
6. Marketing, Sales and Distribution – A new product/service is useless unless the public is aware of it. The presentation must include how the team plans to get their product to their customers.
7. Management team – The human capital in a startup is crucial to its success in the future. A brief summary of the management team’s background is necessary.
8. Funding – The amount of money the team has received previously indicates to a degree how concrete their idea appeared to other investors. The amount of funding also indicates the amount of capital the startup has to grow and expand.

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Sent by Crystal O'Malley on 26 February 2009, 11:14AM

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• Barbara Anne Gardenhire-Mills wrote (2 years ago):

  I am honored to have been asked to participate in judging again this year and wish all of the contestants the best of luck.

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