RULES

Eligibility

• The contest is open to all Washington State high school students. To enter the competition, a team must complete the online registration. Teams should include members possessing the essential background to enable the development of a serious business plan. Interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. There is no limit on the number of members; however, small teams are recommended.
• Teams must have a school or community advisor.

Competition Rules

• Advancing teams must present in-person on the Pullman campus during the Final day of the competition. Only four members of the team will be allowed to present their idea before the judges during the Final Round of the competition.
• All teams that present during the Final Round must be present in person at the Trade Show before Awards Dinner.
• The same business idea will not be accepted at the competition more than twice. Repeat submissions after the second attempt will automatically be declined.
• All submissions to the Business Plan Competition must live up to the higher ideals of Washington State University. Your idea must be appropriate for a university-sponsored event. The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies reserves the right to disqualify any entry that in its judgment violates the letter or the spirit of the competition or exceeds the bounds of social convention.
• Prize money will be divided equally among all registered team members.

ROUNDS OF COMPETITION

Screening Round

The Screening Round is the first major hurdle you’ll face in the competition. Submit your 2-minute video online for scoring by our judges. Five presenting teams will be selected from this first round.

View Video Rubric

Presentation Round

After the Screening Round, you’ll receive an email naming the teams that will advance to the Presentation Round on the day of the Business Plan Competition. If your team is selected, you’ll need to submit your 1-page executive summary and pitch deck (10-15 slides) by the deadline in the BPC schedule.

View Presentation Rubric

Executive Summary Rubric

How the Presentation Round Works

Our High School League includes five teams. During the Presentation Round, each team delivers a presentation of its business plan to a panel of judges, following the schedule below:

• Set up: 10 minutes
• Presentation: 15 minutes
• Questions and feedback: 20 minutes

Presenting teams are evaluated both on their written plan and their presentations. Judging criteria include team presentation and style, the customer problem, solution, value proposition, competitive advantages, market, and sales strategy, management, and financial planning.

Trade Show

All participants including High School and Open League participants will present their business during a cocktail hour Trade Show in the Senior Ballroom before the Awards Ceremony and dinner. This is a great opportunity for teams to network with and meet judges from all of the leagues.

Competition Awards Dinner

If you competed in the Presentation Round, you and your teammates will dine with the judges—a priceless opportunity to build professional connections. Following dinner, competition organizers will announce the winning teams.