GLOBAL SOCIAL VENTURE COMPETITION - DEADLINE 20 JANUARY 2010

The Global Social Venture Competition is the largest and oldest student-led business plan competition providing mentoring, exposure, and $45,000 in prizes for social ventures from around the world. Start forming a team today to submit your executive summary by January 20, 2010!

Winning plans in the past have ranged from global health to microfinance, from cleantech to education, from fair trade to community development, from business concepts to operating companies, and have included for-profit and non-profit models.

Entrant Requirements

• London Business School is coordinating only the business plans from EMEA region only
• Every team must include at least one member who is a current student in ANY graduate business program or who has graduated from any graduate business program within the past 24 months.
• Operating companies are welcome to enter, though they must be less than 3 years old (as measured by first revenue or first patent issued)
• Plan can be for a for-profit or non-profit as long as either can be financially self-sustaining at scale.

Important dates:

• 20 January 2010: Submission deadline for executive summaries
• 19 February 2010: Submission deadline for business plans (selected finalists)
• 5 March 2010: EMEA finals at LBS
• 22 - 24 April 2010: Global Finals in Berkeley (participation of 3 EMEA finalists)

Important general rules:

• Content: Venture must plan to be financially sustainable or profitable, be scalable and have a quantifiable social and/or environmental bottom line.
• Team: Each team must include at least one (actively involved) graduate business student from a business school or an alumnus who graduated within the past two years. Teams are encouraged to include seasoned entrepreneurs and/or professionals with relevant skills and experience.
• Formatof first round deliverables: Executive summary with a maximum of 5 pages (double-spaced, 12pt font and ~1-inch margins on all sides) of text, charts, and diagrams. One resume booklet, wherein each individual's resume should not exceed 2 pages in length.

Submission of entries until 20th of January 2010: http://www.gsvc.org/the_competition/submit_entry/

General rules and deliverable guidelines:http://www.gsvc.org/the_competition/official_rules_and_guidelines/

Action Items

Visit http://www.gsvc.org/

Follow GSVC on Twitter @ twitter.com/gsvc

In case you have further competition-related questions, please contact Grant Donald (gdonald.mba2011@london.edu) or Samuel Burckhardt (sburckhardt.mba2011@london.edu)

Looking forward to receiving your business plans!

GSVC Committee

London Business School