2.1.5 Judging Criteria

2.1.5 Judging Criteria

Each round of judging will be conducted by prominent venture capital and angel investors, seasoned entrepreneurs, members of the university community, government officials, business consultants, and other professionals. The general criteria for the judges to apply will include:

• Viability: (50%)
Can this team create a financially sustainable business? Viability includes:
o Feasibility of the business economics
What is the likelihood that this business can grow and survive within
the next five years in a profitable manner?
Is the company disproportionately dependent on governmental or other subsidies?

o Marketability
Is there a clear market need that exists or can be created for this idea?
Does the team have a feasible strategy to drive market uptake?
Has the team conducted market research to validate its business proposition?

o Management team strength Do the team members have the necessary skill set, including finance, technology, and marketing experience, to bring the idea to market?
Does the team have a plan for appropriate and necessary team growth?

o Realistic and achievable milestones
Are the milestones (including financial, market gain and time to market) and deliverables reasonable for the team and achievable from the standpoint of the relevant market?

• Compelling Business Case: (30%)
o Likely magnitude of business
Is the business opportunity of significant magnitude?
Is the business likely to achieve significant scale?
Is it technologically and economically feasible to produce the product or provide the service at scale?
Can the product or service be sold at scale without extensive customization?
Has the team appropriately planned for scale?
Does the business have the potential for significant upside?

o Competitive advantage and strategic outlook
Does the team’s primary quantifiable value proposition have a clear and differentiated competitive advantage?
Has the team thoroughly thought out the various threats to its business and addressed plans to mitigate those risks?
Does the technology or business concept have the potential to be a disruptive one (or can the business succeed without a disruptive technology or business concept)?

o General strength of pitch
Has the team presented a clear story that creates excitement about the business opportunity?
Would the opportunity as presented spur people to invest funds, submit a resume, or volunteer to mentor the founders?
• Compelling Clean Energy Case: (20%)
Has the team convincingly identified and quantified the clean energy benefits of the technology or business concept with respect to such impacts as increasing use of renewable resources, reducing dependence on non-renewable or undesirable resources, increasing energy efficiency, reducing emissions, or reducing peak
energy demand, etc.?
Will the business idea make a significant difference in terms of producing such clean energy benefits?
Does the technology or business concept have strong potential to change the energy game altogether?