I. GENERAL RULES & REGULATIONS

1. The proposed venture must be for an independent and scalable seed-stage start-up business that is seeking to raise external capital and must address the entire business concept including implementation and financial projection. Ventures that have generated revenue or raised external capital prior to the current academic year are NOT eligible. Proposals for buy-out, expansion or development of an existing business, tax-shelter opportunities, real estate syndications, subsidiaries, franchisee and other consulting projects or analyses are NOT eligible. A venture that does not conform to this rule will be IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFIED.
2. The minimum venture size, in terms of funding requirements, must be 500,000 US Dollars. Methods of financing may be combined among bootstrapping, grants, angel/venture capital investments and debt. A venture that does not conform to this rule will have 10 marks deducted from the total score of 100 marks.
3. All currencies used throughout the competition must be in US Dollars only
4. In all cases, the judges' decision is final.

II. TEAM ELIGIBILITY

1. Team Members
1.1 All full-time and part-time post-graduate students in any post-graduate programs enrolled in the 2018 calendar year are eligible to participate.
1.2 See Team Composition rules below for circumstances where undergraduate students and non-students may be able to participate.

2. Team Composition
2.1 Each institution (faculty, school, institute, or university) may send one team or more, each consisting of a minimum of TWO members and a maximum of FIVE members.
2.2 At least HALF of the team must be enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents; the rest of the team may be made up of any enrolled student(s) at any level (both undergraduate and postgraduate) from any institution and/or no more than ONE non-student member (the non-student may be any relevant person such as researcher, inventor, alumnus, etc.)
2.3 The following combinations are possible:

2.3.1 Team of TWO:
2.3.1.1 TWO members are enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution;
2.3.1.2 ONE enrolled post-graduate student from the institution that the team represents + ONE enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution;
2.3.1.3 ONE enrolled post-graduate student+ ONE non-student

2.3.2 Team of THREE:
2.3.2.1 all THREE members are enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution;
2.3.2.2 TWO enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + ONE enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution;
2.3.2.3 TWO enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + ONE non-student

2.3.3 Team of FOUR:
2.3.3.1 all FOUR members are enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution;
2.3.3.2 THREE enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + ONE enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution;
2.3.3.3 THREE enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + ONE non-student
2.3.3.4 TWO enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + TWO enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution;
2.3.3.5 TWO enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + ONE enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution+ ONE non-student

2.3.4 Team of FIVE:
2.3.4.1 all FIVE members are enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution;
2.3.4.2 FOUR enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution + ONE enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution;
2.3.4.3 FOUR enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + ONE non-student
2.3.4.4 THREE enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + TWO enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution;
2.3.4.5 THREE enrolled post-graduate students from the same institution that the team represents + ONE enrolled student (either undergraduate or postgraduate) from any institution+ ONE non-student;

2.4 SCG Bangkok Business Challenge @ Sasin 2019 organizing committee encourages teams to identify individuals, external to their programs to be part of the Board of Directors, management team or to be advisors who may contribute additional expertise and experience to help the venture succeed.

III. PITCH DECK & SUMMARY BUSINESS PLAN

The First Round required the submission of either a Pitch Deck (in PDF format of no more than 10 slides - see template example) or completion of the Summary Business Plan through the online form (Example of Summary Business Plan Form) using content and word limit as shown below;

1. Venture name
2. 60-Second Video Pitch [URL link to your YouTube video]
3. Purpose of the Business Plan (i.e. how much external funding is being sought and how much equity is being offered) [Maximum 50 words]
4. Description of the new product/service and its intended benefits (including proof of concept and intellectual property protection, if any) [Maximum 150 words]
5. Potential market for the new product/service and chosen strategy to access this market including market validation, if any) [Maximum 150 words]
6. Plan for production / delivery of product or services and resources required [Maximum 150 words]
7. Relevant qualifications and experience of the management team and other individuals associated with the venture [Maximum 150 words]
8. Summary of sales and profit projections, and other pertinent financial data (including, but not limited to, the venture’s Net Present Value) necessary for an investor to make an informed decision pertaining to the venture's valuation [Maximum 100 words - tables and charts may be included in the appendix].
9. Statements of how the venture has holistically internalized sustainability principles both strategically and in practice. (Note: Sustainability is defined by many as the balance of environmental, social, and economic concerns to ensure that the needs of future generations are not compromised, and implicitly includes Corporate Responsibility and Business Ethics ideals to ensure positive impact for all stakeholders - most of all, it's about HOW the venture makes its money and how it IMPACTS its stakeholders.) [Maximum 200 words]
10. Appendix [Maximum 2 pages of A4 size - Tables, Charts, Diagrams, Graphics, and Pictures only (no prose permitted)] to be submitted as PDF file.

All currencies must be stated in US dollar;
2 marks will be deducted from the total score of 100 marks for each violation of each of the rules and limits stated above

IV. WRITTEN BUSINESS PLAN
1. The business plan and appendices must not exceed 12 pages (including cover page, executive summary, contents page, appendices, spreadsheets, illustrations, page breaks, etc.).
2. The main portion of the written business plan must not exceed 8 pages of text and graphics (excluding cover page, executive summary, contents page, and appendices). Detailed spreadsheets and other supporting data/documents should be in the appendices.
3. The written business plan must be typed, professionally formatted, and comfortable to read (1.5 line spacing and use size 12 font with 1 inch margins are recommended).
4. All currencies must be stated in US dollar.
5. 2 marks will be deducted from the total score of 100 marks for each violation of each of the rules above.

V. PRESENTATION

1. Formal presentation is required by every team in the Thailand Track, Semi-Final, Play-off and Final Rounds.

2. Every member of the team must participate in the formal oral presentation of the plan. A team which does not conform to this rule will have 10 marks deducted from the total score of 100 marks.

3. Presentation format for the Thailand Track Round: each team is required to make a 10-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer session with the judges.

4. Presentation format for the Semi-Final Round: each team is required to make a 10-minute presentation, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer session with the judges.

5. Presentation format for the Play-off Round: each team is required to make a presentation within 25-minutes, during which judges may ask questions at any time after 5 full minutes have passed.

6. Presentation format for the Sustainability Award Round: each team is required to make a presentation within 25-minutes,during which judges may ask questions at any time after 5 full minutes have passed.

7. Presentation format for the Final Round: each team is required to make a presentation within 30-minutes, during which judges may ask questions at any time after 5 full minutes have passed.

8. There will be approximately 5 minutes between each team’s presentations for setting-up computers and audio-visual equipment.

9. A team that has finished its presentation may observe both the presentation and question-and-answer sessions of any team that come after it. Thailand Track and Semi-Final Round teams that have not given their presentations may not observe the question-and-answer sessions of any other teams in their own group. Play-off, Sustainability Round and Final Rounds teams that have not given their presentations may not observe presentations of any other teams in their own group.

10. TIME LIMITS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

VI. VENTURE EXHIBIT

1. A Venture Exhibit is required of every team in the Semi-Final, Play-off and Final Rounds.

2. Teams will present their business ideas, products and proposed venture and answer questions to judges, guests, and interested individuals at the Venture Exhibit. The Venture Exhibit will contribute to the judging criteria of the Semi-final, Play-off and Final Rounds (Please see Appendices D and E).

3. At least one team member will be required to stay by their display, as will be agreed and scheduled with the team, to answer any questions.

4. The prize of ‘Best Venture Exhibit’ will be awarded to the team with the highest ability to attract potential investors to their venture exhibit space and is most effective in conveying the investment opportunity in a clear, concise, and enthusiastic manner, whilst their venture exhibit best complements the message(s) the team attempts to convey. This category will be evaluated and selected by judging committee.

5. The Booth size: W 1.5 m x L 1 m x H 2.4 m (total of 1.5 square meters) with details as follows:
5.1 240 cm. height fascia with venture’s name, 1 set
5.2 Information table, 1 unit (removable)
5.3 Chair, 1 unit (removable)
5.4 Trash bin, 1 unit (removable)
5.5 5 Amp Power outlet (220 Volts.)

VII. JUDGING CRITERIA

The judging criteria will be heavily weighted on the commercial potential of the business and the credibility of the stated claims, projections and assumptions. Whilst new-to-the-world products or inventions are not necessary, teams should clearly demonstrate their product's or service's competitive advantage that may include intellectual property protection issues. Judges look favorably upon high potential, growth-oriented businesses catering to large markets.

Each round will be evaluated via the following:

1. First Round evaluation will be 100% based on the Summary Business Plan.
2. Thailand Track Round evaluation will be 40℅ based on the submitted Written Business Plan only and 60℅ based on overall
Business Viability as expressed in the submitted Written Business Plan, Formal Presentation, Question & Answer.
3. Semi-Final Round evaluation will be 40% based on the submitted Written Business Plan only and 60% based on overall Business Viability as expressed in the submitted Written Business Plan, Formal Presentation, Question & Answer, and Venture Exhibit.
4. Play-off Round and Final Round evaluation will be 100% based on overall Business Viability as expressed in the submitted Written Business Plan, Formal Presentation, Question & Answer, and Venture Exhibit.

The result of each presentation round will be determined by the sum of judges' ranking. Should the sums be equal, total raw scores will be used to determine the winner.

The judges' decisions are deemed as final in all cases.

VIII. TEAM SELECTION AND GROUP ASSIGNMENTS FOR EACH PHASE OF THE COMPETITION

1. First Round: Before 23.59 hrs. (Bangkok Time), Tuesday, December 5, 2018, a completed Summary Business Plan and a web link to team’s 60-second Video Pitch is required to be submitted online at http://bbc.sasin.edu/

A team of judges will scrutinize all submitted Summary Business Plans and accompanying Video Pitches to select 19 Semi-Finalist teams and 6 Thailand Track teams for their participation in Bangkok.

The selected teams and their faculty advisors will be individually notified via email on Thursday, December 20, 2018. Such teams and their faculty advisors must confirm their Intention of Participation via return email to bbc@sasin.edu within Monday, December 24, 2018, and submit their full Written Business Plan in PDF format to bbc@sasin.edu within Friday, February 1, 2019, 23.59 hrs. (Bangkok time).

Should any of the selected teams relinquish their right to participate further in the competition (through not confirming their Intention of Participation within the deadline, or otherwise), the organizer reserves the right to invite the next best first round team(s) to fill up the vacancy. A public announcement and draw of the selected teams will be made by Monday, February 11, 2019. If, after this public announcement and draw, any of the 19 Semi-Final Round teams that have already confirmed their Intention of Participation relinquish their right to participate further in the competition (through not submitting their full Written Business Plan within the deadline, or otherwise), the organizer reserves the right to invite the next best First Round team(s) to fill up the vacancy and give such team(s) until Wednesday, February 8, 2019, or at least 5 days from the time such teams are notified, to submit their full Written Business Plan.

The organizers reserve the right to refuse participation in next year's competition from institutions whose teams have confirmed their Intention of Participation but fail to participate further in the competition in Bangkok. Under such eventuality, the highest authority governing the concerned institutions (i.e. Rector/President of the University, Dean of the Faculty, etc.) will be formally informed in writing.

2. SAA Network Coaching Round: Afternoon session of Thursday, February 21, 2019. Each panel of experienced investors, entrepreneurs and business professionals of the Sasin Alumni Association Network (SAA Network) shall provide frank verbal and written feedback to the Semi-Finalist teams with regards to their 60-Second Pitches and Formal Presentations. Scores compiled are for the purposes of providing feedback to the teams only and will not be included in the business plan competition.

3. Thailand Track Round: Morning session of Thursday, February 21, 2019. 6 best-ranking teams from the First Round that represent institutions based in Thailand and was not selected to enter the Semi-Final Round shall compete in the Thailand Track. The winner of the Thailand Track will immediately proceed to the Semi-Final Round.

4. Semi-Final Round: Morning session of Friday, February 22, 2019. 4 best-ranking teams from the First Round, with no announcement, will be randomly separated into four different groups (A, B, C and D). Thereafter, all remaining teams will be randomly placed to make 4 teams for each group. The winner of each group will immediately proceed to the Final Round.

5. Play-off Round: Afternoon session of Friday, February 22, 2019. With theoretical possibility that some high potential teams may fail to gain popularity from certain panels of judges, the 8 second and third ranked teams from each of the Semi-final Round groups will be offered a second opportunity with totally different judges. Second ranked teams from Semi-final Round’s groups A and C and third ranked teams from groups B and D will combine into a group of four to compete for a seat in the Final Round. Similar parallel arrangement for third ranked teams from Semi-final Round’s groups A and C and second ranked teams from groups B and D will also send a team to join the Final Round.

6. Sustainability Award Round: Afternoon session of Friday, February 22, 2019. After having reviewed all 20 semi-finalist teams’ written business plans and venture exhibits, and observed the teams’ Semi-final Round presentations, 4 teams are chosen by the Sustainability Award Committee to compete for H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Sustainability Award and Trophy.

7. Final Round: Morning session of Saturday, February 23, 2019. 2 Play-off Round winners will join the 4 Semi-Final Round winners for a random sequence of teams’ presentations to compete for H.M. The King's Award.