Who is eligible to enter the contest?

All individuals are welcome to take part in this competition, as long as they have a student as part of their team. A student is one who is enrolled and currently registered in any recognized institution or university of education. Note that the Contest is designed for contemplated and embryonic businesses. However, there is a difference between a new venture that is getting off the ground and an existing business, and the Contest is not designed for the latter.

What are the important dates and deadlines to remember?

  • 23rd February, 2012 - Executive Summary submission (50 applications to be shortlisted)
  • March 3-5, 2012 - Final presentation of the 1st round

How will the prize money be split to the winners?

The prize amount will be disbursed in 3 stages, as follows:

  • 25% amount as seed fund/ prize money.
  • 25% amount after a 6 month period contingent upon progress report and presentation.
  • 50% amount after second 6 month period contingent upon progress report and presentation.

How can I protect the confidentiality of intellectual property?

The only individuals who will have access to your business plans will be the judges who are assigned to read your plan. These judges are largely professional venture capital investors, who regularly deal with confidential information in the course of their work. We have asked them to treat your work product with the same care and respect for confidentiality. We also ask them to remove themselves from judging your plan if they do have a real conflict of interest. Feel free to mark your plan—or particular piece of it—as "confidential." Note that the short description of your idea which you include with your entry form may be used in public documentation relating to the Contest. The judges are all venture capitalists and entrepreneurs who deal with confidential information in the normal course of their businesses. While every effort will be made to preserve the confidentiality of each submission, it is suggested that highly sensitive material be excluded from the entry if a team is concerned about the confidentiality of such material. Note, however, that finalist teams will be making brief presentations to an open audience. Of course, technical drawings and formulae need not be shown at this presentation, or even included in the business plan. All reasonable measures to ensure the protection of intellectual property introduced and associated with the Contest will be taken. The Entrepreneurship Development Cell, IIT Delhi, and the organizers of the Vishishth Business Plan Contest cannot take further responsibility to protect the intellectual property or other rights of the contestants. Protection of such rights is ultimately the responsibility of each Contestant. Contestants are urged to mark as "CONFIDENTIAL" any portion of their entries which they consider to be confidential.