This slideshow provides details on the 2012 Fowler Business Concept Challenge submission process!

1. The 4th Annual Fowler Business
Concept Challenge
October 19, 2012
Introductory Seminar
Rules and Instructions for Competitors

2. Upcoming Events
All-Night Fowler Challenge Hackathon
Thursday, October 4th 6:00 pm – 12:00 am
Schulze Hall 3rd Floor Lab (Room 335)
A fun, intense, work session to flesh out,
refine and improve your Fowler submission.
Come join the fun!
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3. The Schedule
Event Date Time Location
Instructions to Competitors Sept. 21, 2007 2:00 PM SOM
(seminar) Submission Due
Preliminary October 5, 2012 11:59 PM2.115
Registration - Intent Semifinalists
Announcement of to Sept. 28, 2007 9, 2012 5:00 PM
October Noon
Final Submission Due
Compete October 18, 2012 9:00 PM
Final Presentations/Judging October 19, 2012 8:00 AM
Preliminary Submission Due
Awards Ceremony Oct. 5, 2007 2012 PM
October 19, 4:00 4:00 PM
Announcement of Finalists Oct. 26, 2007 4:00 PM
Finalist Submission Due Nov. 2, 2007 4:00 PM
Finalist Nov. 9, 2007 8:00 AM SOM
Presentations/Judging
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4. Sources of Information
• The Fowler Facebook page. This is the most
comprehensive source and updates and helpful
information will be posted regularly:
Facebook.com/USTFowler
• The Fowler website: bit.ly/TheFowler
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5. So what should you expect from
the teams?
1. They should have a solid understanding of the benefits of
their product or service and their value proposition.
2. They should have a defensible estimate of the potential
market and the business’ potential revenues.
3. They should have a revenue model for their business.
4. They should have a good grasp of the existing
competition and a solid explanation of where their
competitive advantage lies.
5. They should be able to explain why the idea is feasible
6. They should be able to explain how they would begin to
execute the idea with some mentoring and assistance.
7. Social ventures should be able to explain
a) the value proposition to their customers/clients,
b) the societal benefit created by their business
c) how they will be able to create a financially viable
organization.
- From the Letter to the Judges 5

6. Overview of the Fowler Business Concept
Challenge
• Eligibility
– The Challenge is open to all currently registered (Fall 2012) UST
undergraduate and graduate students.
– All team members must be currently registered as students at UST
and have a valid UST Student ID.
• Undergraduate Division
– Teams registering to compete in the Undergraduate Division must be
comprised of all undergraduate level students and all members of the
team must be currently registered undergraduate students at UST.
• Graduate Division
– Teams must compete in the Graduate Division if they have one or
more currently registered UST graduate student (Masters or Doctoral)
as a member of the team.
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7. Overview of the Fowler Business Concept
Challenge
Step #1 – Go to:
http://bit.ly/TheFowleror
http://www.stthomas.edu/business/schulzeschool/fowlerchallenge
/default.html
Click on the how to apply button and download, complete and
send the Team ID Request Form to Fowler@Stthomas.edu
Please get this done sooner rather than later. It will assist us in the
planning process.
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8. Overview of the Fowler Business Concept
Challenge
Step #2
Complete your 5-page submission and e-mail it to
Fowler@Stthomas.edu by 11:59 pm Friday, October 5th.
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9. Sample Cover Page for Submission to Fowler Business Concept Challenge
Project Title
Division Entered (Grad or Undergrad)
Student ID’s – DO NOT PUT THE STUDENT’S NAMES
I/we attest to the originality of the work submitted.
Do not include team members’ names in the document
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10. Overview of the Fowler Business Concept
Challenge
• Preliminary submission – Due October 5th.
– Body – Brief description of the business idea (maximum 5 pages, double
spaced, 11 point type)
• A concise description of the proposed business and why it is
unique/compelling
• Target Market
– Who is your customer?
– What customer problem will you solve?
– How does your customer solve that problem today?
– What other solutions will compete for that customer? preliminary
estimate of the size of the potential market
– Number of customers that can be reasonably addressed.
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11. Overview of the Fowler Business Concept
Challenge
• Preliminary submission (cont.)
• Business Model
– What is your product/service?
– How will it solve the problem?
– How will your solution create exceptional value for the
customer?
– How will you create and sustain competitive
advantage?
– How will you generate revenues and profits?
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12. Overview of the Fowler Business Concept
Challenge
• Judging Criteria – Preliminary Submissions
– Preliminary submissions will be judged by a reviewer panel using the
following criteria (equally weighted):
– Originality (business idea is new, novel, unique)
– Clear and compelling value proposition (legitimate, recognized need;
appropriate solution)
– Competitive advantage (creates more value for customer than
alternative solutions)
– Market opportunity (adequate market size; viable business model)
– Feasibility (reasonable prospect of funding and successful
implementation)
• The top business ideas in each of the divisions will
be chosen as Semifinalists.
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13. Overview of the Fowler Business
Concept Challenge
Final Submission/Presentation
1. Semi-Finalists will be required to prepare and electronically
submit a 12-15 minute MS PowerPoint presentation (maximum
20 slides) detailing their business idea and addressing the key
points outlined above.
2. Semi-Finalists will use the MS PowerPoint slide deck to
present their business ideas to a panel of judges. Each team
will be allowed 15 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for
questions and responses.
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14. Overview of the Fowler Business
Concept Challenge
Judging Criteria – Semi-Final & Finals
• Business Idea (67%)
1. Originality (business idea is new, novel, unique)
2. Clear and compelling value proposition (legitimate, recognized need;
appropriate solution)
3. Competitive advantage (creates more value for customer than
alternative solutions)
4. Market opportunity (adequate market size; viable business model)
5. Feasibility (reasonable prospect of funding and successful
implementation)
• Presentation (33%)
1. Presentation materials (clear, comprehensive, logical flow)
2. Delivery (clear, compelling, persuasive)
3. Q&A (answered judges questions directly, clearly, effectively)
4. Time management (effective use of allotted time)
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15. Overview of the Fowler Business
Concept Challenge
The Finals
1. The teams selected as finalists in each division will present
their ideas in groups in the morning round to a panel of judges.
2. The judges will select the top team from each group to move
on to the final round
3. The winners will be selected from the four finalists in each
division by a new panel of judges.
4. The panel of judges will select the winners of ‘The Best
Individual Presenter’ from among all of the finalists
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16. Overview of the Fowler Business
Concept Challenge
A winning submission should address the following
questions:
1. What is your product or service?
2. How will you’re business generate revenues?
3. What will your businesses’ revenues be after the first, third and
fifth years of operation?
4. What is your specific target market and how do you plan to
address it?
a) Who are your customers?
b) What do they do?
c) How old are they?
d) Where do they live?
e) Other important characteristics
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17. Overview of the Fowler Business
Concept Challenge
A winning submission should address the following questions:
5. Why do they need to buy what your business will sell?
6. How big is your target market
a) # of potential customers
b) $'s spent on comparable products
c) How many of these customers will you reach during first, third and fifth years of
operation?
7. Every business has competition. Who are yours and what
sustainable advantages will your business have over them?
8. Briefly highlight relevant experience of management team.
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18. The Prizes
Undergraduate Division Graduate Division
1st $10,000 Scholarship per team 1st $10,000 Scholarship per team
2nd $ 5,000 Scholarship per team 2nd $ 5,000 Scholarship per team
3rd $ 2,500 Scholarship per team 3rd $ 2,500 Scholarship per team
4th $ 1,000 Scholarship per team 4th $ 1,000 Scholarship per team
Best Individual Presenter - $1,000 Best Individual Presenter - $1,000
Scholarship Scholarship
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19. Some Thoughts on Winning Business Ideas
1. The ‘Best Business Idea’ wins not the ‘Best or Coolest’ Technology
2. The Winning teams will be able to succinctly explain how their
product creates ‘significant’ value for their customers
3. Filling ‘needs’ and solving ‘problems’ win
4. Winning teams will be able to document the existence of a market
for their product/service
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20. Some Thoughts on Winning Business Ideas
5. Winning teams will be able to demonstrate the potential for
‘sustainable’ competitive advantage
6. Winning teams will have an idea of how they are actually going to
generate revenues
7. Winning teams will be able to estimate how much revenue they will
generate
8. Winning teams will have feasible ideas – no Mars’ missions
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21. Some Thoughts on Winning
Presentation
1. White space is your friend – don’t clutter the slides
2. No tiny fonts in crowded tables
3. A good picture is worth a thousand words
4. Practice
5. The flow should be logical
6. Don’t look or sound rushed – slow down
7. One speaker and only one speaker should always be the focus
8. Passion, enthusiasm and competence sell ideas
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22. 8 slides you should have
1. Title slide
2. Description of product/service
3. Clear Unique Value Proposition Statement - What problem
is being solved, need met and for whom?
4. Target Market conditions (some or all of below)
a) Who is the market – describe them, create image in the mind of audience
b) How big?
c) Existing offerings?
d) What are they currently buying?
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23. 8 slides you should have
5. Competitive analysis - A table that compares features and
benefits of direct, as well as discussion of indirect
6. Revenue model and analysis
7. Funding Needs and Uses
8. Team skill sets - what they have and what they need;
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