Business Launch Competition FINAL APPLICATION

On May 1st you will deliver to the Entrepreneurship Center vdc@umb.edu:

1) A short report with answers to the questions below, based on the progress made over
the last two months.
2) The results relative to the metrics you created at the beginning of this process, with
your brief analysis as to what you think were the drivers of change.
3) Your slide presentation articulating the process, evolution, and progress you achieved
with your start-up relative to the questions on this page and the next.
Name of Your Start-up ________________________

Lead Entrepreneur _______________________

1) Briefly describe your business. Basically, give the 1-paragraph elevator speech that
describes what the enterprise does, your unique value proposition, the product/service you
offer, and the key competitive edge you have (or for social ventures, the key contribution you
make) in your industry and region.
2) How do you define your market and go-to-market strategy? How much interaction
have you had with this target specifically, how many people have you talked with,
interviewed, engaged with as potential customers up to now?
3) What is your product or service? What is the description, features and functions? Have
you received market feedback relative to product or service requirements?
4) What is your financial model? i.e. what are your key sources of revenue, and what are
your key costs. (In part youll be judged by how much more clear you are about your business
model in two months vs. now, as well as your willingness to change your business model if
thats necessary in your start-up process).
5) What goals do you have for the coming two months? Be as specific as you can.
Goals could include a re-design of a business model that hasnt worked, the activation of a new
product/service offering, generating a certain number of new customers or revenues, etc.
6) Analysis of your metrics. Report on the metrics you chose to use in your initial
application describe the outcomes youve achieved over the past 60 days. What do these
outcomes suggest about the growth and viability of your business? If youve changed the
metrics, how do the new measures do a better job of describing your business progress?
Although each start-up will have its own measures, judges will analyze changes in rates,
momentum, and growth potential of each metric that you develop.

Entrepreneurship+Center,+UMass+Boston+
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April,+2013+

Business Launch Competition Presentation Format

Finals Event: Tuesday, May 7th, 4:30 pm 6:00 pm
Presentation Guidelines:

Focus on the key categories for evaluation listed on the next page.
Each category should have only 1 3 slides:
- Description of category on 3/1
- How category evolved
- Description of category as of 5/1

Email presentation to vdc@umb.edu on 5/1. You may include a short report (a few pages)
documenting the process you went through to achieve your results.

Evaluation:
Each category will be rated on a 1 5 scale based on the (a) progress you made, and (b) on
the viability of your long-term effort.
Each category is weighted equally. In addition, a
Verbal/Written Communication category will be included and rated 1 -5, based on quality of
communication, and this category will be equally rated with the others. Thus, youll be rated on
8 categories.
These evaluation criteria will be used by Chris Aronis and Benyamin Lichtenstein to select the 6
finalists. Likewise, these evaluation criteria will be used by the 3 independent judges to select
the 3 winners.

Presentation:
Each finalist will have 10 minutes maximum for presentation. Youll be stopped at 10 minutes.
Practice for timing.

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Business Launch Competition Outline for Presentation.

April,+2013+

You should design the presentation to best highlight the ways that your venture has evolved
and grown.
1. Business Description of your company
o

Define what it was on 3/1

Describe how it evolved over the last 60 days

Define what is on 5/1

2. Product/service offering of your company

o

Define what it was on 3/1

Describe how it evolved over the last 60 days

Define what is on 5/1

3. Market Definition and Go to Market Strategy

o
o

Define what it was on 3/1

Describe how it evolved over the last 60 days

Define what it is on 5/1

4. Financial Business Model o Define what it was on 3/1

o

Describe how it evolved over the last 60 days

Define what it is on 5/1

5. Defined Goals
o

Define what they were on 3/1

Describe how they progressed and/or changed over the last 60 days

Define results as of 5/1

6. Defined Metrics
o

Define what they were on 3/1

Describe how they progressed and/or changed over the last 60 days

Define results as of 5/1

7. Summary
o

Where is your business headed

What are your next steps