READY TO TAKE A PLUNGE INTO THE SHARK TANK?
Have an idea for a business and want to compete against others for $5,000 in prizes?
This event provides U.S. MILITARY VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS with the opportunity to pitch their business idea to a group of judges (a/k/a sharks) to win prizes. Competitors in the business pitch competition will be preselected from the top-ranked submissions received. The proposals will be evaluated based upon their uniqueness, feasibility and the ability to impact people and society. No more than seven teams will be chosen to compete in the competition, which will be held at the HCC Brandon Campus on Saturday, November 15, 2014 @ 3 p.m. (as part of the Second Annual Veterans Entrepreneurship Training Symposium).
EVENT RULES AND REQUIREMENTS
• Submission of the “Business Pitch” application (see below) must be made by Wednesday November 5, 2014.
• The “Business Pitch Application” (BPA) must identify the ways in which the venture is unique, what problem it seeks to solve, and what gap in the marketplace it seeks to fill.

• The BPA should describe the target market, including the value delivered to the target market.

• The BPA should identify and address any potential challenges to delivering this product or service.

• The BPA must be no more than two (2) pages in length. All content in excess of two pages will not be considered.

• All participants pitching a business must be a Veteran or active duty service member.

• All business ideas submitted must be an idea for a new company or an existing company in operation for less than one year.

• Any submitted data or information shall be considered information that may enter the public realm. Protection of intellectual property or other such rights are the responsibility of each participating individual or team.
• All participants are required to attend a “Practice Pitch” workshop on the day of the Veterans Entrepreneurship Training Symposium.
• On the day of the event (November 15) presenters will have four minutes to speed pitch their idea (no PowerPoint’s are allowed). The pitch is followed by the judges (a/k/a sharks) having an opportunity to ask you questions about your presentation.
• The top competitors will receive prizes. (Although you do not need to be an active HCC student to compete, in order to utilize the prize money, you must be an enrolled HCC student. In addition, certain restrictions and requirements will be explained to the winners about how the funds are to be disbursed. Competition winners can only use prize money toward the business idea pitched)