Changes

<span iddata-cke-bookmark="docs-internal-guid-4755190d-7707-4ff6-308a-b074e4499e491"><span style="font-sizedisplay: 15px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;none">Overview:</span>&nbsp;</span>

<span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7707-4ff6-308a-b074e4499e49serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Purpose:The competition is designed to give collegiate entrepreneurs a real-world experience to pitch their startups to investors, receive mentoring, network with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, enhance their startup strategy, and learn what it takes to launch a successful startup.</span></span>

<span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-7707-4ff6-308a-b074e4499e49serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; medium">There will be over $1 million in prizes, and all 42 teams who compete at Rice University in Houston are guaranteed to win cash prizes. The minimum cash prize is $500 and the grand prize winner receives a $300,000 investment (typically in the form of a convertible debt note, without geographic restrictions.)</span></span><div class="page" title="Page 5"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column">= <span style="font-family: Arial; verticallucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-alignsize: baseline; whitemedium"><span style="font-spaceweight: pre-wrap;700">Distinct Difference From Other Offerings:ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS</span></span></span>=

Sponsors<span style="font-family: Arial; lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Teams must meet all the following eligibility requirements in order to be selected to compete:</span></span> == <ul span style="marginfont-topfamily:0pt;marginlucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-bottom:0pt;serif"><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4esize:medium"><span style="backgroundfont-colorweight: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">1-Service LLCStudent Enrollment</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">The competition is for degree-align: baseline; whiteseeking students currently enrolled on a full-space: preor part-wrap;">ABI Digital Solutionstime basis </span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eweight: 700">(</span style="background>i.e., in the academic year from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018). This includes students who graduated, or will graduate any time after July 1, 2017. (For example, December 2017 graduates are eligible to compete). Students who graduated before July 1, 2017 are not eligible to participate. Adjustments may be made for teams from non-color: transparentU.S. universities that have a different academic calendar; verticalplease contact the RBPC director if you are from a non-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aquinas Companies, LLC/ Linebeck/Alpha Dev<U.S. school and feel this applies to you.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">Austin Ventures</spanstyle="font-weight: 700">Outside Funding Limitations</span></lispan></span><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">All ventures must be seeking outside equity capital, typically early-align: baseline; whitestage venture capital investment or early-space: prestage angel investment. All ventures must be “for profit” entities. This is an early-wrap;">Bank stage pitch competition, therefore, startups that have raised more than $250,000 in equity capital from sources other than the students or their friends or families prior to July 1, 2017 are not eligible to compete. Startup teams may have raised ANY level of Americaequity funding AFTER July 1, 2017.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BBVA Compass Bankmedium">Equity funding awarded as part of an accelerator/incubator program does count toward funding limits.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize:medium">The following do not count toward funding limit: transparentResearch and other grants; vertical-align: baselinecompetition winnings; white-space: pre-wraptraditional loans;">Bennuand any friends and family funding.</span></span></li> == <lispan style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4esize:medium"><span style="backgroundfont-colorweight: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">Blue LanceRevenue Limitations</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">BrandExtractVentures with more than $100,000 in revenues in prior academic years (before July 1, 2017), are excluded.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">BusinessMarkers Radio Show<span style="font-weight: 700">Prior Activity</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chai Onemedium">Both student and other team members may have worked on an idea or new technology in previous academic years, or in the case of the student team members, even prior to entering graduate school, provided that their venture’s revenues and equity capital raised does not exceed the above limits.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; whitemedium"><span style="font-spaceweight: pre-wrap;700">Comerica BankTeam Composition</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">This is a competition primarily for graduate-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ConocoPhillipslevel students. All graduate students, not just MBA candidates, are eligible to participate in the competition. This includes, but is not limited to, PhD candidates, MBA students, MD candidates, JD candidates, and other Masters candidates. Competing team members may be from different disciplines and/or different universities.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Content ActiveHowever, undergraduates are allowed to compete fully, as long as at least one member of the presenting team at the RBPC is a currently-enrolled graduate student and a member of the venture’s startup management team, and part of the team that presents in the competition (competing team). In other words, a team of two students could be comprised of one undergraduate student and one graduate student. Alternatively, a team of five students could be comprised of four undergraduates and one graduate student.</span></span></li> == <lispan style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4esize:medium"><span style="background-color: transparent; verticalfont-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">DuaneMorrisMinimum Team Size</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Dun & Bradstreet Credibility CorpThe presenting team that competes at Rice University must include at least two current students and not exceed five current students. In other words, at least two members from each startup team must travel to Rice to compete, and both of these two members must be current students. The purpose of this rule is to encourage startups to enlist at least two founders in order to increase the potential for a successful startup.</span></span></li> == <lispan style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4esize:medium"><span style="background-color: transparent; verticalfont-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">Energy VenturesMaximum Team Size</span></span></lispan><libr/><span id== <span style="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Enterprise Future Network</span><Teams may bring up to five startup team members who participate in the presentations on Friday and Saturday. In other words, at least two and no more than five startup team members may participate in the verbal presentations on Friday and Saturday. Others involved in the venture (non-students, faculty advisors or mentors) are welcome to travel to Rice with the competing student team, but are prohibited from participating in the presentations or Q&A sessions. More than five students can travel to Rice with the team, but only five students can serve as presenters. In fact, we encourage the team to bring a faculty, staff or other advisor with them to the RBPC, and we will invite them to attend our special lunch with the Dean of the Rice business school on Friday afternoon.</span></lispan><li/div></div></div><span iddiv class="page" title="docs-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4ePage 6"><span stylediv class="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ernst & Young</spanlayoutArea"></span></li><li><span iddiv class="docs-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4ecolumn">== <span style="backgroundfont-colorfamily: transparent; verticallucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-alignsize: baseline; whitemedium"><span style="font-spaceweight: pre-wrap;700">Essex Woodlands Health VentureTeam Presentation</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">at least two student members of the startup should participate in every round of presenting the startup’s investment pitch (i.e., the startup business plan presentation) on Friday and Saturday, April 6-align: baseline; white7. Of the team members presenting, at least two of them must verbally present in the rounds they are involved in. To “verbally Present” means give/speak at least 20-space: pre-wrap;">Finger Interests30% of the presentation. The intention is that at least two team members share speaking responsibilities in the presentation section. The Q&A does not count toward the presentation time.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">FLS AssociatesThe team may divide speaking time in their presentation however they choose, but a minimum of two members must speak at some point in the main presentation.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Fly VaxThe exception is the Elevator Pitch Competition on Thursday, April 5, where only one member of the team will be able to give the 60-second presentation.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guidfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium"><span style="font-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">FortuneStudent Involvement</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">The competition is for student-align: baseline; whitecreated and student-spacemanaged ventures, including new ventures launched by licensing university technology. Students participating in the competition (i.e. members of the founding team) are expected to: pre-wrap;">Fulbright & Jaworski</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Gimmal(1) be a driving force behind the new venture,<br/>(2) have played a primary role in developing the business strategy (3) have key management roles in the startup venture, and<br/span>(4) own significant equity in the startup venture.</span></lispan><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Goose Society In general, a member of the student team should be CEO, COO, or President of the venture, or members of Texasthe student team should occupy 50% or more of the functional area management positions that report directly to the CEO, COO, or President.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Haynes Members of the student team are expected to own equity in the new venture. It is anticipated that students should own at least 20% of the total equity in the venture or at least 50% of the equity owned by the management team. One objective of this rule is to exclude ventures formed and Boonemanaged by non-students who have given little or no equity to students for helping to develop the business strategy or create an investor pitch deck.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">However, we recognize that the equity structure of some new university-align: baseline; whitebased ventures may not yet be established, the 20% equity ownership rule may be waived in this situation. This waiver will be examined on a case-space: preby-wrap;">Heinlein Foundationcase basis.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Houston Angel NetworkIn addition, we recognize that if the Intellectual Property (IP) is owned by the university, it is likely that a license for that IP may not have been finalized at the time of the competition. A license to the IP is not required to compete at the RBPC, but we encourage student teams to seek an option to obtain an exclusive license to the IP or provide other evidence that the startup will have ability to obtain an exclusive license to the IP in the future. The owner of the IP should be aware that the team is competing using that IP.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium"><span style="font-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">Houston Business JournalFaculty Involvement</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Houston Technology CenterEach team MUST have the endorsement of a faculty or staff advisor at their school and must provide contact information for their faculty advisor, regardless of whether or not the advisor will travel with the team to Rice University. All faculty advisors will be asked to confirm the eligibility of the team.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium"><span style="font-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">InsperityNature of Ventures</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4e"serif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">The competition is for new, independent ventures in the seed, start-alignup, or early growth stages. Generally excluded are the following: baseline; whitebuy-space: preouts of existing businesses, expansions of existing companies, real estate syndications, tax shelters, franchises, licensing agreements for distribution in a different geographical area, and spin-wrap;">Jones Partnersouts from existing corporations. Licensing technologies from universities or research labs is encouraged.</span></span></li> == <lispan style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4esize:medium"><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; whitefont-spaceweight: pre-wrap;700">Jones School Career Management Center (CMC)Prior Activity</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">KauffmanTechnologies may be presented in the RBPC only once. Competing team members may participate in the RBPC more than once if entering with a new venture/new technology.</span></span></div></lidiv><li/div><span iddiv class="docs-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4epage" title="Page 7"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column">== <span style="backgroundfont-colorfamily: transparent; verticallucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-align: baseline; whiteserif"><span style="font-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers<span style="font-weight: 700">Prize Payments</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MAANAmedium">Award payments will be issued to either the Company or the Team’s affiliated university. All required taxes will be withheld, and tax refund documents issued by Rice University.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; whitemedium"><span style="font-spaceweight: pre-wrap;700">McGuireWoods LLPRequired Forms</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">Mercury FundEach team will be required to provide appropriate documentation to receive award payments which include W-9 and/or EIN forms for US teams, and W-8 BEN forms for International teams No prizes can be awarded without the required forms submitted.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">Microsoft</spanstyle="font-weight: 700">Sectors</span></lispan></span><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-spacemedium">Business plans and companies should fall into one of four categories, or sectors: pre-wrap;">MinuteMan Press</span></span> === <br/li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Miller, Egan, Molter & Nelson LLPLife Science</span></span><br/li>=== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">Murphree Venture Partners</span>– includes (but not limited to) Medical Devices, Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Health IT, Biotechnology.</span></lispan><li>=== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">NASA Johnson Space CenterEnergy/Clean Technology</span></span><br/li>=== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">NASDAQ OMX Group– includes (but not limited to) Sustainability, Inc.</span>Water, Battery Technologies, Control&nbsp;Systems, Smart Metering, PV Technology, Natural Gas, Transportation/Mobility, Oil & Gas Technologies, Algae, Fuel&nbsp;Cells, Hybrid Vehicles.</span></lispan><li>=== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nCouragemedium">Information Technology</span></span><br/li>=== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-alignmedium">– Includes (but is not limited to): baseline; whiteMobile Apps, Software, Digital Media, Consumer Web, B-space: preto-wrapB Applications, Enterprise Software, SAAS, Internet, Web, Virtual Reality, Big Data, Machine Learning, Artificial&nbsp;">New World VenturesIntelligence, Drones, Hardware, Robotics, Unmanned Vehicles.</span></span></li><li>=== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Novak Druce Connolly Bove + Quigg LLPOther Innovations</span></span><br/li>=== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Opportunity Houston/GHP– Includes (but is not limited to): Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology, Composites</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-medium">Teams must choose one sector/category for their companies. Teams may chose a second sector/category, though a second sector/category is optional and not required. Please choose sectors/categories that best align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oraclewith your company’s product, technology, system or mission.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">OWL Investment GroupThe RBPC Selection Committee and the Rice Alliance have the final decision on which teams are invited to compete in the Rice Business Plan Competition and reserves the right to include or exclude any teams for any reasons.&nbsp;</span></span></li><li>= <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium"><span style="font-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">Padgett GroupCOMPETITION FORMAT</span></span></lispan>=<lidiv class="page" title="Page 11"><div class="layoutArea"><span iddiv class="docs-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4ecolumn"><span style="backgroundfont-colorfamily: transparent; verticallucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-align: baseline; whiteserif"><span style="font-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">Palo Alto SoftwareThe Rice Business Plan Competition takes place over 3 days with 5 segments of competition. Teams are required to participate in all segments that apply to them.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guidfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C.Elevator Pitch Competition</span></span></li>== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">This this fast-align: baseline; whitepaced event has all teams competing against each other for the best 60-space: pre-wrap;">Pearland Economic Development Corporationsecond pitch to attendees. The Pitch takes place Thursday evening. There are cash prizes for top 5 best Elevator Pitches. This scoring does NOT factor into the overall scoring of the Rice Business Plan Competition.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Phillips Business Plan Competition First Round& Reiter, PLLCnbsp;</span></span></li>== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-alignmedium">In the First Round, all teams in the competition will be divided into seven flights. The flights will consist of six teams, “clustered” by industry sector, to the extent possible. Current sectors are: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">RedHouse Associates1) Life Science, 2) Energy/Clean Technology, 3) Information Technology, and 4) Other Innovations. Judges will be assigned to flights based on their background and areas of expertise.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">The first and second place teams from each of the seven flights in the First Round plus the top-align: baseline; whitescoring third place team overall will advance to the Semi-space: pre-wrap;">S3 VenturesFinal Round, and the teams who finish third through sixth place in their flights will advance to the Challenge Round.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">Business Plan Competition Semi-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrapFinal Round, Challenge Round&nbsp;">Sandi Heysinger and Dick William</span></span></li>== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">The Semi-align: baseline; whiteFinal Round and the Challenge Round will take place concurrently. The Semi-space: preFinal Round, composed of the top 15 teams from the First Round, will be placed into 3 flights of 5 teams each. Flights will not be sector-wrap;">Sante Venturesspecific.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Silicon Valley BankThe top two teams from each Semi-Final Round flight will advance to the Final Round (6 teams total).</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Shell/Shell Energy VenturesThe Challenge Round, composed of the remaining 27 teams from the First Round, will be placed into 7 flights of 4 teams each (one flight will have only 3 teams). Flights will not be sector-specific.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-color: transparent; vertical-alignsize: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Silver Fox AdvisorsBusiness Plan Competition Final Round&nbsp;</span></span></li>== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4e"serif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">SimThe top six teams from the Semi-TexFinal Round (2 from each flight) will compete in the Final Round, Incthe last part of the Business Plan Competition. These final 6 teams will be in one flight; the flight is not specific to any sector.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">V.S. ElgoharyCocktail Reception & Company Showcase&nbsp;</span></span></li>== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4e"serif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">StatoilTeams have one final opportunity to discuss and promote their business ideas with investors, judges, sponsors, local business members. Attendees will vote on the Best Showcase Company during the reception. There is a prize for Best Company Showcase.&nbsp;</span></span></li><li>= <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guidfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium"><span style="font-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">SURGE AcceleratorJUDGING & SCORING</span></span></lispan>=<lidiv class="page" title="Page 12"><span iddiv class="docs-internallayoutArea"><div class="column">== <span style="font-guidfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; whitemedium"><span style="font-spaceweight: pre-wrap;700">TiE HoustonGeneral Evaluation Criteria</span></span></lispan>== <li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">The competition simulates the real-align: baseline; whiteworld process of entrepreneurs soliciting start-space: preup funds from early-wrap;">Thompson & Knight<stage investors and venture capital firms. The judges function as early stage venture capital investors deciding on which business venture they would most likely fund. The quality of the innovation, the size of the market, the competitive differentiation, the strength of the management team, and the clarity and persuasiveness of the written plan and oral presentation, all influence the judges’ decisions. Ultimately, the winning team should be the team in which the judges would most likely invest their money.</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-align: baseline; whitemedium">Most of the judges of the RBPC come from the investment community and are involved in making early-space: pre-wrap;">TOTALstage investment decisions on an ongoing basis. Judges are provided a scorecard that is used as a guide and used for feedback to teams. However, ultimately the judges based their ranking on where they would invest their money.</span></span></li><li>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63cfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium"><span style="font-alignweight: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;700">Trailblazer CapitalJudging Criteria</span></span></lispan><libr/>== <span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; vertical-alignmedium">While judging the competition, judges will be asking many details questions about business viability and investment potential. Consider how your business plan and presentation responds to the following: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">U.S. Department of Energy</span></span></liul style="list-style-type: none"><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">-align: baseline&nbsp; whiteIs the startup addressing a big problem and is there evidence that customers will be willing to pay for their</span> <span style="font-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">Venture Fellowssolution?</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfafamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparentmedium">- &nbsp; vertical-align: baseline; whiteWill the technology work? Is their evidence that the technology will solve the problem (e.g., lab results, field</span> <span style="font-spacesize: pre-wrap;medium">UK Science & Innovation, British Consulate-General, Houstontrials)?</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190d-771ffamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">-align: baseline&nbsp; white-space: pre-wrap;">Waste ManagmentIs the problem big enough to build a company around? What is the size of the addressable market?</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">-align: baseline&nbsp; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whitehall and Company<What is the competition? Does the startup have a significant, sustainable competitive differentiation?</span></span></li><li><span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-771f-7bfa-e63c-ab04c4222e4eserif"><span style="backgroundfont-colorsize: transparent; verticalmedium">-align: baseline &nbsp; whiteIs there intellectual property (IP)? What is the status of licensing of the IP? Does the startup have access to a</span> <span style="font-spacesize: premedium">license or option to license the IP? Are there other startups pursuing this market with similar IP?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-wrap;size:medium">Winstead- &nbsp;Does the management team understand its strengths and any gaps in the current team?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">- &nbsp;Is the team coachable? Is this a team I want to invest in and work with?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">- &nbsp;How long will it take to generate revenue? How much additional product development is required?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">- &nbsp;How much investment will the company need in order to reach breakeven cash flow?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">- &nbsp;Does the startup understand key milestones that need to be reached? Does the team have a fund raising strategy</span> <span style="font-size:medium">tied to those milestones and value inflection points?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">- &nbsp;Is there a credible exit available within a reasonable timeframe?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">- &nbsp;Should I invest in this business?</span></span></li>

<span style="font-family: Arial; lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Impact Achieved For Student This feedback is designed to help assess the key aspects of the startup and Campus:alert the team to questions that might be raised by the judges during the competition on campus. The scores provided to the teams in advance are for feedback purposes only, and will not be used to determine advancement or winners.</span></span>

<span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7707-4ff6-308a-b074e4499e49serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">-StudentsThere are five rounds of scored competition throughout the event, and all teams will compete in 4 of them:</span></span>

=== <span style="font-family: Arial; lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 15pxmedium">Elevator Pitch&nbsp; white-space: pre-wrap;"</span>-Community:</span>===

<span idstyle="docsfont-internal-guid-4755190dfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-7707-4ff6-308a-b074e4499e49serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">All attendees at the Elevator Pitch competition will judge the competition. Judges will score each team that presents on a scale of 1 (excellent) to 5 (poor). The teams with the best (i.e., lowest) aggregate overall scores are the winners. All 42 teams are required to present their elevator pitch on Thursday evening. Each pitch will last up to but not exceed 60 seconds. The Elevator Pitch Competition is a stand-Outreach:alone event and does not factor into a team’s scoring for the Business Plan Competition. There are cash prizes for the five Best Elevator Pitches.</span></span>

=== <span idstyle="docsfont-internalfamily:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-guid-4755190d-7707-4ff6-308a-b074e4499e49serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">Steps Required To Bring Resource On Campus:Business Plan Competition First Round&nbsp;</span></span>===

<spanstyle="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;medium">In the First Round on Friday, teams will be clustered by industry segment to the extent possible, and judges will be divided based on their area of experience. Current groupings include: 1) Life Science, 2) Energy/Clean Technology, 3) Information Technology, and 4) Other Innovations.</span></span>

<spanstyle="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 15px; medium">Each judge will assess the investment potential based on the criteria listed above. Comments on each team’s strengths and areas for improvement will be written on a comment sheet and given to the teams at the end of the day on Friday.</span></span></div></div><span style="font-family: Arial; verticallucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-alignsize: baseline; whitemedium">The winning team from each of the seven flights will be determined by the judges ranking of the teams within each flight. This ranking will be determined Friday afternoon after all of the teams have presented to the judges. The judges will rank the teams within their flight from 1 (most likely to invest) to 6 (least likely to invest).</span></span></div><div class="page" title="Page 14"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column">=== <span style="font-spacefamily: prelucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-wrap;size:medium">Semi-Final and Challenge Round</span></span>Contact Information:===

Rice Business Plan Competition<span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode, contact is at rbpc@ricelucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">The winners of the Semi-Final Round will be chosen in the same manner as in the First Round.edu or you may call Judges will rank teams from 1 (713most likely to invest) 348-3443to 6 (least likely to invest). In total six teams will advance to the Final Round.</span></span>

'''Mailing Address'''Rice Alliance <span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:medium">The Challenge Rounds are formatted differently than the Semi-Final Rounds and will provide competitors with a third type of presentation experience. Each will have a total of 25 minutes for Technology presentation and EntrepreneurshipQ&A. However, there will be no specified time limits on the presentations or Q&A. Judges are encouraged to ask questions throughout the presentation. The winning team in each flight of the Challenge round will be determined in the same way as the other rounds by a ranking by the judges. This ranking will be determined after all four teams have presented to the judges. The judges will rank the four teams in the Challenge Round from 1 (most likely to invest) to 4 (least likely to invest).</span></span>

Rice University=== <span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode, MSlucida grande,sans-serif"><span style="font-531size:medium">Final Round&nbsp;</span></span> ===

Houston<span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode, TX 77252lucida grande,sans-2932serif"><span style="font-size:medium">The rankings from each of the judges will be aggregated and the teams with the lowest total scores will be the winners. As in the previous rounds, in the case of a tie, the team with the most number of first place scores will be declared the winner.</span></span>

Jones School== <span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode, Room 134lucida grande,sans-serif">Catherine Santamaria</span> ==

<span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif">''Director, Rice UniversityBusiness Plan Competition''<br/>(713) 348-3190<br/>[mailto:rbpc@rice.edu rbpc@rice.edu]</span>

Houston<span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif">''Marketing Director, TX 77005Rice Alliance''<br/>(713) 348-29325374<br/>[mailto:mlfernau@rice.edu mlfernau@rice.edu]</span>

Fax&nbsp;[http: 713//universityinnovation.org/wiki/User:Haan.nguyen304 Ha An Nguyen&nbsp;]<div class="page" title="Page 3"></div><span data-348cke-3110bookmark="1" style="display: none">&nbsp;</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

Email[[Category: rbpc@rice.eduOrganizations]]