Stu Clark New Venture Championships

• 15 minute presentation hard stop
• 10 minute Q & A hard stop
• 10 minute Feedback from the judges
• Teams may not observe other teams present in their track until after they have presented
• Props (prototypes, iPhone apps etc.) are allowed in the presentation
• Teams may only videotape or record their own presentation
• Only members who actively present are able to participate in the Q & A discussion

All ventures must meet the below rules and guidelines. 

What is an elevator pitch?

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what you or your organization does. It's called an "elevator pitch" because it should be short enough to deliver during a brief elevator ride, no longer than 60 seconds.

The goal of an elevator pitch is to grab the attention of your audience and make a compelling case for why they should be interested in what you're offering. This can include introducing your business, product, or idea, highlighting its unique selling points, and explaining what sets it apart from similar offerings.

An effective elevator pitch should be clear, concise, and memorable. It should communicate your key message in a way that's easy to understand, and it should leave the listener with a clear understanding of what you or your organization does and why they should care.

Elevator Pitch Rules

• 1 minute pitch hard stop
• The elevator pitch video may contain graphic images, video enhancements, and background noise, however it must contain at least one student speaking to the business concept
• The purpose of the elevator pitch is to capture the attention of the judges while explaining to them the value behind your business
• The more creative, the better!
• All content and graphics should be relative to the business and enhance the overall message
• Any inappropriate verbiage or graphics will result in disqualification
• Plagiarism will result in disqualification
• We encourage teams to get creative and to keep in mind that their elevator pitch is being judged on content, professionalism and overall strength of the pitch
• Business dress is recommended

All ventures must meet the above rules and guidelines. 

Rules

• Written business plans from accepted teams are due to amy.jones@umanitoba.ca by Thursday, March 2, 2023 (11:59 PM CST)
• Must be submitted in PDF format, 1.5 spacing, 12 Times New Roman
• Number all pages
• Cover page to include venture name, student names and university
• Cannot be longer than 21 pages following these limitations:
  • 1 page - Cover page
  • 1 page - Table of contents
  • 1 - 2 pages - Executive summary
  • Up to 10 pages - main report
  • Up to 6 pages - appendices
  • 1 page - citations

Guidelines

• Executive summary
  • Standalone overview of the business plan
• Magnitude of the problem
  • Is this a major problem?
  • Is it local, national or global?
• Outline of the solution
  • Does the product solve the problem
  • Is the product protected (IP)
  • Status (proof of concept / prototype)
• Market validation / competition
  • Is there a clear market need?
  • Will customers pay a premium?
  • Competitive landscape
• Operational plan
  • Actual intent to set up operations
  • Viable plan to set up operations
  • Ongoing operational capability
• Marketing and distribution
  • Effective marketing strategy
  • Effective advertising strategy
  • Clear distribution channels / strategy
• Management team
  • Is team experienced and capable?
  • Able to overcome risks  and changes
  • Proper board or advisory board
• Financial viability / scalability
  • Attractive revenue / expense margins
  • Realistic start-up costs
  • Scalable product or service
  • Financial projections / returns
  • No cash flow or balance sheet issues
  • Realistic funding / capital structure
  • Attractive investor returns
• Others
  • Intellectual property
  • Timeline for implementation
  • Realistic
  • Professional
  • Convincing strategy

All ventures must meet the below rules and guidelines. 

For further guidance on business plan development, download What to Include in a Business Plan 

Privacy disclaimers

Privacy Notice: This event may be recorded for documentation and promotional purposes. By attending the event, you acknowledge that you may appear in such recordings, and grant permission for them to be used by the event organizers. Please inform the organizers if you do not wish to be recorded. Additionally, please be mindful of any personal information you choose to share during the event and take appropriate precautions to protect your privacy. Teams requiring non-disclosure agreements (NDA's) should not participate.