Q: Can I still enter my full plan if I didn’t enter an
executive summary?
A: No,
sorry, but full plan submission for Round 1 of the competition is by
invitation only, based on those who submitted qualified executive
summaries by January 22, 2001.
Q: Must the MBA student on our team be from Haas?
A: No!
Our requirement is that each team have one current MBA student from
any business school (in the US or otherwise).
Q: How many teams from one MBA program may enter?
A: As many as you've got! There are no limits to the number
of applicants from a particular school.
Q: Can a team enter both the UC Berkeley Competition and the Social
Venture
Business Plan Competition?
Q: Can you help me put together or strengthen my team?
A: We have developed a Matchmaker
service which allows entrepreneurs interested in competing
in the contest to find others with similar interests. It is
also a useful resource for finding current MBA students to round out
your team. Matchmaker also allows teams looking for specific
skills to advertise their needs. Keep checking Matchmaker, as
many individuals and teams will be posting their information
throughout the Spring semester.
Q: How do I enter?
A: The contest takes place in three judging rounds (see Calendar).
Competitors must register
and submit a 2-3 page executive summary with the names
of all their team members. Each team must contain at least one
current MBA student. Registration and submission of executive
summaries must be completed by January 22, 2001.
Q: So, the idea must be profitable, huh? Is
that excluding the social costs of running the business?
A:
Profitability does NOT exclude costs related to the social
mission. Plans should detail how the enterprise will become
profitable within a reasonable time period given the scope of
social mission-related operations. While there is no
preset maximum allowable time to profitability, one of the
criteria by which judges will rate plans is time to
profitability. (Our sense at this stage, given our
knowledge of what social venture funders seek and of the
potential of social enterprise, is that five years seems long).
Q: Are there any sample business plans that we can look
at?
A: Yes. Take a look at our sample outline for an executive summary.
In addition, at the UC Berkeley competition's workshops
you will find outlines and other presentations (more as time
goes on) related to how to write a business plan.
Q: What criteria are you using?
A: Plans will be judged according to the feasibility of the
business concept, as well as feasibility and scope of the venture's
stated social and/or environmental purpose. Additional information can
be found in the Rules and
Resources sections of
the site.
Q: What defines a "social enterprise"?
A: Traditional businesses sometimes generate a product
or service at the expense of the environment or other social goods.
A social enterprise is a more perfect capitalistic enterprise in
that it aligns "money" and "value" more closely
than a typical business. There are many definitions of
"social enterprise" and "social venture."
Please see our Definitions
page for some examples.
Q: Can you give some examples of a social venture?
A: Why yes, we can! Please see our Examples
page.
Q: What are the benefits of participating?
A: A substantial cash prize for the winner.
The top three plans entered in the competition will be circulated
for consideration among venture capitalists and angel investors
who make private equity investments based on social dividends as
well as economic returns. Every entrant also receives exposure
to a distinguished panel of judges and
terrific networking opportunities with other entrepreneurs in the
social venture field. We are building a community to bring
socially responsible business ideas to life!
Q: What prizes are available?
A: A substantial cash prize will be awarded to the winning team. The winners of the 2000 competition received $10,000!
Q: Do I need to come to Berkeley to present my ideas?
A: Competitors who make it to the final round must bring their team
to Berkeley on April 13th and 14th, 2001 to present their business
plan to a team of judges. Teams will submit their executive
summaries and four copies of their full business plans by
mail, and will receive comments and feedback by mail, fax, or
email.
Q: Are resumes mandatory for Advisory Board members?
A: No. However, resumes are useful if you want to help show how the advisor's skills relate to the industry, market, strategy, operations, etc. of the product/service you are pitching. The same might be accomplished with a summary about who the advisors are and how their knowledge is relevant or how it fills gaps on mgmt team.
Q: Should there be a link between the discount rates for FROI and SROI?
A: There is no inherent link between SROI and FROI rates, other than just the way the business's fortunes overall implicate both of them. The SROI discount rate should represent the risk or uncertainty inherent in the assumptions about returns.
Q: How many executive summaries were submitted to the 2001 HSVC? How many were accepted?
A: Thirty-three were submitted. Thirty were accepted to proceed to Round 1.
Q:How many plans will "pass" Round 1?
A: Judges will select 8 finalists to proceed to the final round, which will be held April 14 at the Haas School of Business.
Q: Can resumes exceed one page?
A: Resumes should be limited to one page per team member.
Q:Does the page restriction (25 pages) include the appendix?
A: The body of the plan must not exceed 25 pages. This does not include financials or other appendices (a.k.a. exhibits). Exhibits must not total more than 5 additional pages. Resumes of the team members and/or advisors are also not included in the page limit restrictions. In other words, the resumes are in addition to your plan and exhibits.
