Major New GLOBAL Student Business Concept Competition
$25,000 to the Winning Team

VT KnowledgeWorks is pleased to announce a Global Student Business Concept Challenge, August 29 - September 4, 2010, in Blacksburg and Roanoke, Virginia, USA.  The Challenge celebrates the energy and ingenuity of university students and their important contributions to the future of our global economy.

The Prize
15 elite student teams from around the world will gather in Blacksburg, Virginia to showcase their entrepreneurial ideas and compete for the VT KnowledgeWorks Global Challenge Trophy.  The award itself is a travelling trophy that will reside throughout the following year at the home institution of the winning student team.  At the close of each annual celebration and final competition, the name of the winning team, their university name, and their home city will be etched into the base of the cup as a permanent tribute to their outstanding effort.  In addition to the trophy itself, the winning team will earn a $25,000 cash prize.  The top two runners-up will receive $2,500 cash prizes.

The Itinerary
The contest finals are part of a week-long celebration of student entrepreneurship.  While in Blacksburg, the teams will be housed with local families, spend interactive time with successful technology companies, enjoy fellowship with Virginia Tech students, and attend the NewVa Corridor Technology Council Gala Dinner and Technology Exposition.  More details regarding the itinerary appear on the VT KnowledgeWorks website and in the attached announcement flyer. 

Thanks to our generous sponsors, participating students will incur no food or lodging expenses during their week-long stay in Virginia.  Expenses per student include only transportation to and from their home countries to the Roanoke Regional Airport, and a minimal competition and event registration fee.  Faculty or chaperones accompanying student teams will receive special rates for hotel lodging, and will be included in many meal-time events, but will, unfortunately, not be fully subsidized.

Student Team Eligibility
Only full-time university students are eligible to participate in the Global Student Business Concept Challenge. Students may elect to work in teams of up to five members.  Eligibility for the finals is based on winning a significant student business concept competition in the team's home region.  Each regional institution desiring to send a winning student team to The Challenge must register online via the Intent to Compete submission. 

Your Commitment
We need your help to make our Global Challenge a success, including:
 
o    Promoting the event and selecting an outstanding student team to compete in our Challenge. 
      Typically, the participating team will have won a significant student business concept competition
      in your home region.

o    Serving as the liaison with the student team to make sure they are aware of the Competition and
      its requirements and also providing an email address for the group so Challenge reminders can
      be sent directly to the group

o    Acknowledging and approving the related expenses per student, including roundtrip airfare and
      registration fees.

Next Steps
  
1.    Please direct any questions to Lindsey Eversole, our Member Services Manager, prior to your
       institution’s submission of the Intent to Compete, to ensure your team’s eligibility.

2.    Reserve a spot for the winning student team in your region at the Global Student Business
       Concept Challenge.  Each institution must submit an Intent to Compete registration online prior
       to May 1, 2010.  A $250 participation fee is required with the application.

3.    Once your institution receives email confirmation of a reserved place in the finals, each member
       of your winning student team and any accompanying faculty or chaperones must register
       individually.   Personal reservations will be available online starting May 1, 2010 and registration
       will close June 30, 2010. 

o    $100/student - covers food, lodging, and admission to all the week’s scheduled events.

o    $150/accompanying faculty member or chaperone - includes admission to the Founders’
      Readiness Workshop, NewVa Corridor Technology Council Gala Dinner and Technology
      Exposition, Global Student Business Concept Challenge, and meals at Hotel Roanoke on
      September 1 and 2.

4.    Finally, we will all work closely together to assure a safe, educational, and thoroughly
       enjoyable experience for everyone involved.  Detailed itineraries will be available in late July.

Please do not hesitate to ask questions.  We look forward to working with you to celebrate
student entrepreneurship on a global scale, this year and in the future! 

Jim Flowers