Overview and Rules
The Leonard and Phyllis Attman Competitive Business Prize Competition provides seed funding for Business Ventures for University of Baltimore students and alumni. A total of nearly $5,000 in seed funding, professional services and office space is awarded.
Contest Opens:
Postponed until further notice
Application Deadline
Postponed until further notice
Rules
General Requirements
- Open to University of Baltimore students or recent alumni.
- Undergraduate or graduate currently enrolled and in good standing.
- Alumni participants must possess a degree awarded between 2014 and 2019.
- All applicants must have equal or majority equity stake in the company.
- The judges reserve the right to disqualify entries at their discretion.
- No entry fee and only one category.
- Entrants can be an individual or team.
- Participants can have only one entry (as an individual or a member or a team).
- Application revisions accepted until deadline (Oct. 9, 2019, 11:59 p.m.).
- Businesses have to be: (a) Good financial standing with the State of Maryland; and hold a Federal ID (FEIN ) number. (Apply here if you require a number.)
- Application consists of: (a) the online entry application; (b) a one minute pitch YouTube video; and, (c) an executive summary (not more than four pages).
- Apply here
Teams
- No more than five (5) members.
- Entrants may not join more than one team.
- All teams must be formed on or before the time of entry.
- Number of team members may not decrease or increase after application deadline.
- Teams can consist of a combination of students, alumni, and others (combo teams); however, a combo team and team members can have only one entry and the principal must be a UBalt student or UBalt alumni holding equal or majority equity stake in the company.
- Cash prizes will be evenly divided and paid to each individual team member.
Prize Package
Competition Prizes Breakdown
First Place |
Cash and In-kind Prizes |
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$3,000 and rent-free office space in CEI's Business Incubator for 12 months and "in-kind' business services. |
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Second Place |
$1,000 |
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Crowd Favorite |
$750 |
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- The prize awards, in total, will consist of furnished rent free office space and "in-kind" business development services.
- First place will receive $3,000 in seed money, rent free office space (in the CEI suite) for twelve (12) consecutive months during the 2019-2020 time period, and four (4) professional business development services (provided by CEI business partners).
- Second place winner will receive $1,000 cash seed money and three (3) professional business development services (provided by CEI business partners).
- Crowd Favorite will receive $750 in seed money and one (1) professional business development service (provided by CEI business partners).
Application Process
- All entrants must apply using the application form.
- Upon registering, entrants will be able to edit, track and access their submission.
- Electronic submission on or before 11:59 p.m., October 9, 2019. The following three items will be submitted: (I) A one minute video pitch via YouTube (videos more than one minute may be disqualified); and (II) An executive summary not more than four pages formatted using Microsoft Word software.
- Apply here
Judging Process
- The competition will consist of two rounds: 1) The preliminary/qualifying round; and, 2) Final Live competition.
- Entries that do not meet the requirements under the rules and application sections, or are incomplete, will automatically be disqualified.
- No contestant may contact judges, from any round, and judges are not to contact any contestant, during the course of the competition.
- In the event of a tie, the CEI Director will cast the deciding vote.
Qualifying Round
- Each first round submission will be reviewed and judged according to:
I. Market opportunity and competition.
II. Product/Service viability.
III. Business model sustainability.
IV. Overall attractiveness of the opportunity
- Six entries will be selected to advance to the final round—notifications will be provided by October 27, 2019.
- The six (6) finalists will have the option to submit a revised executive summary of not more than six pages and a PowerPoint submission must be made for use on the day of the live event
Final Round (Live Pitch)
- Judges will review revised Executive Summary prior to the “Live” event.
- Each finalist is required to pitch their New Business Ventures before a panel of judges. This constitutes the Final Presentation.
- Finalists that do not present at the live pitch final round will automatically be disqualified.
- The judge’s decisions are final. The audience, at the live competition, will select the winner of the Crowd Favorite award by a straw vote.
- The value of in-kind business services, incubator space and equipment cannot be redeemed for cash value.
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