MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition

Business Plan Contest

The Business Plan Contest is the flagship of the $100K Competition. It takes place in the spring of each year and first prize is $100,000.

The rules for the 2010 Business Plan Contest are now available!

Check back soon for the submission form.

As the Elevator Pitch Contest focused on idea generation and the Executive Summary Contest emphasizes team formation and idea refinement, the Business Plan Contest is designed for you to complete your idea and prepare yourself for funding and business creation.

Why Enter?

All entries into the Business Plan Contest will be eligible for more than $350,00 in cash and prizes to put toward their new venture. In addition, semi-finalist teams receive formal mentorship, and an expense account to refine your idea, and prepare to pitch to a group of judges in a simulated funding meeting. No matter how far your plan goes in the competition, everyone receives feedback on their submission.

How does this work?

Team Formation. Form teams by attending track mixers (see Upcoming Events), by posting your idea on the Idea Board, and networking with students are your and other schools.
Executive Summary and Pitch Deck Creation. Refine your idea and craft your two page executive summary and 12 slide presentation deck. See the Resources page for tips and tricks on how to put together a prize winning entry.
Submission. This is when your submission is due, no exceptions. Please the Rules for eligibility and complete entry info.
Preliminary We are recruiting top notch judges from each of our 5 industry tracks and they will review your executive summaries. The top 5 teams in each track will be named as semi-finalists for the track will be announced at our Semi-Final Announcement Show.
Wild Card. In addition to the selected semi-finalists, the next 5 teams in each track will be announced on and be eligible for to submit an enhanced 5-page executive summary and 12 slide presentation deck. Two (2) of these teams will be selected to continue on in the competition, and will be notified.
Mentor Dinner. All Semi-Finalists will attend a dinner on to meet their mentors and learn about the mentor program and details of the team expense account.
Final Submission. Final 20-page business plans and revised 12 slide presentation decks will be due on.
Final Track Judging. Each semi-finalist team will pitch their business in front of a panel of judges in early May to determine who will be the track winner.
Finale. We will host the finale of the Business Plan Contest and our 20th Anniversary Celebration. Winners for each track selected from the semi-finalists will be announced, an overall winner will be selected by a new panel of judges, and the audience will each select their favorite pitch.