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Entrepreneurship and Innovation Student Competition (E&I23)
Deadline for submission of video:
The competition aims to motivate entrepreneurial spirit among university students and stimulate the achievement of their academic goals by developing innovative entrepreneurship projects. The competition consists of two phases. In Phase 1, a paper describing the project is required. Those selected to move to Phase 2 must prepare a short video presenting the project to show during an interview with the jury in the LEIRD2023 conference next month of December.
RULES
PARTICIPANTS: Teams of up to four active university students that can be from different disciplines or specializations. They must be endorsed by a faculty mentor at the institution where the leading student is enrolled.
PROJECT TYPES: Any innovative entrepreneurship project including those with environmental, social or community impact can be submitted to the Competition.
PAPER AND VIDEO: The project will be presented by means of these two components in English or Spanish. The evaluation will be carried out in two phases. In Phase 1 the paper will be evaluated and can be qualified to proceed to the following phase. In Phase 2 the Jury will evaluate the video and the answers to live questions from the Jurors.
- Paper
Content: summary, problem definition, business model CANVAS, product market fit, user profile, product functionalities, minimum viable product
Format: up to 5 letter-sized pages, Arial 12p, 1.5 lines, pdf (not counting registration form, cover page, index, and references)
- Video
Content: summary explanation of opportunity and product.
Format: maximum of three (3) minutes in MP4 format.
Student Presentation Template: click here
Answers to jury questions: live via AGORA Meetings platform
HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Present the student project on the ConfTool-LEIRD2023 web platform. Phase 1: the project will be submitted by the student leader before the deadline through the platform. The student leader and the faculty mentor will receive an e-mail confirmation to which they must reply. Phase 2: Depending on the evaluation of the paper, an e-mail invitation, and instructions to submit the video and present it to the jury during the virtual competition will be sent to the student leader and the faculty mentor.
THE JURY: Group of faculty members and/or entrepreneurs appointed by the LACCEI Entrepreneurship and Innovation Committee (LEIC).
WINNERS: Up to four awards for the best projects:
- First: USD 600 and free registrations to all team members to participate virtually in the LEIRD 2024 conference. Specialized mentoring by LEIC members for the development of its entrepreneurial initiative.
- Second: USD 400 and free registrations to all team members to participate virtually in the LEIRD 2024 annual conference. Specialized mentoring by LEIC members for the development of its entrepreneurial initiative.
- Third: USD 200 and free registrations to all team members to participate virtually in the LEIRD 2024 annual conference. Specialized mentoring by LEIC members for the development of its entrepreneurial initiative.
Those qualified in the first phase, will receive a diploma of recognition, as well as the institution they represent.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Problem: It is shown that there is a significant need or problem that the project is trying to solve. A need or problem is a situation in which it is possible to make an improvement to existing conditions. A major problem causes a discomfort or inconvenience to users. Describe discomfort or need.
Solution: The project is shown to solve a significant problem. The product, service, technology, or process solves at least one aspect of the need or problem.
Innovation: It is demonstrated that the solution is unique in terms of concept, technology, or accessibility to it. The project (product, service, technology, or process) differs from other solutions that try to solve the problem in terms of features, user accessibility, or other aspects.
Impact: It is shown that there are a significant number of people or organizations (potential users) who have the problem that the project will solve. Provide an estimate of the number of potential users with common characteristics based on a reliable source (e.g., government, industry association, prior research, etc.).
Feasibility: It is demonstrated that the proposed solution is or may be accessible to the individuals or organizations that have the problem. The solution is conceptually feasible and applied; include photos, surveys, sales, likes, etc.
Evaluation in general:
- Clarity and time management: The idea is clearly presented and meets time specifications.
- Passion: The style of the presentation is eloquent, enthusiastic, and convincing.
- Others criteria in general: writing, contributions, spelling errors, document format, problem definition, CANVAS, minimum viable product, etc.
CALENDAR 2023
- Deadline for submission of papers – September 11, 2023
- Evaluation of works (Phase 1) – September 25 (2023) to October 6 (2023)
- Invitations to participate in Phase 2 – October 7, 2023
- Deadline for submission of video – October 16, 2023
- Phase 2 Virtual presentations – December 6, 2023
Click HERE to go to the submission platform ConfTool-LEIRD2023. Use the track: “Entrepreneurship and Innovation Student Competition (E&I23)”
Click HERE for instructions on how to submit a paper/project using the platform. You must first create an account, click here for an account creation tutorial.
Submit Your Project Now: