Application Deadline: December 5th 2014
The Global Social Venture Competition is the world’s preeminent social venture competition providing aspiring entrepreneurs with mentoring, exposure, and $50,000 in prize money to transform their business ideas into positive real-world impact.
GSVC leads entrant teams through an experiential learning process to develop innovative, scalable solutions to the world’s greatest challenges
The competition occurs over three rounds. The first two rounds are run through the GSVC global partner schools and competitions. During each round of the competition, social entrepreneurs present the social, financial, and environmental values of their business, gaining valuable feedback from and exposure to some of the greatest minds in social innovation.
The 2015 GSVC Conference and Global Finals will take place on Friday, April 10, 2015.
Eligibility:
GSVC awards prizes to the social venture teams that show the highest, most integrated financial and social returns – businesses that demonstrate blended value.
Ensure your venture is eligible
- Submitted ventures should plan to be financially sustainable or profitable; whether it is a commercial business or a tax-exempt organization, your venture must have plans to be self-sufficient on earned revenue.
- Submitted ventures must be scalable long term. This criterion will mean different things for each business plan. Scalability will take into account the potential for growth of the business, both financially and in its social impact.
- Submitted ventures must have a quantifiable social and/or environmental bottom line incorporated into their mission and practices.
- Submitted ventures must be less than 3 years old (with the start of the venture marked by first income or first patent, whichever occurred earlier) as of April, 2015.
- Submitted ventures may not be a wholly owned subsidiary of an existing entity (of either a for-profit or non-profit entity)
Ensure your team is eligible
- Your team must include a graduate student (current or within two years of graduation as of December 31, 2014) from any masters-level or post-graduate higher education program in any area of study in the world; the student must be actively involved in the venture (i.e., actively participating in development of the business plan or actively working on the business).
- Your team should include a statement in the business plan describing the graduate student’s level of involvement.
- The graduate student or recent graduate must be one of the plan’s presenters (and must be available to answer judges’ questions regarding the business) in the final round of the competition.
- Teams are strongly encouraged to include seasoned entrepreneurs and professionals with relevant skills and experience.
Prizes:
Winners are announced at the culmination of the Global Finals event and prizes are awarded as follows:
1st place: $25,000
2nd place: $15,000
3rd place: $7,500
People’s Choice Award: $1,500
Quick Pitch Award: $1,000
Timeline:
- In the First Entry Round, teams submit initial information about their business idea.
- The first round deliverables include an executive summary, concept deck, customer interviews, and team bios.
- First round entrants are evaluated by our regional partner schools and competitions.
- The entry deadline for all regions is December 5, 2014.
- A select number of teams will be chosen to move forward to the Regional Semifinal Rounds hosted by our regional partner schools and competitions.
- Teams that advance will expand on their First Round entry to compete in Regional Semifinal Rounds.
- The top two teams from each Regional Semifinal Round will be selected to compete April 8-10, 2015 at the Global Finals at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, which will consist of two consecutive rounds.
- Teams will resubmit their deliverables and supporting documents, with the opportunity to make revisions post Regional Semifinals, for the Global Finals Round.