About the Competition

INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS

RSVP Guest Registration for the 2013 Holloway Prize Championship Competition 

OVERVIEW

The Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition is designed to stimulate entrepreneurship throughout the University System and is open to all USNH undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of academic discipline, who are interested in starting or expanding a business. The competition is the oldest of its kind in New Hampshire and one of the first in the nation. It helps students develop proposals for bringing innovative products or services to market, gain first-hand experience in commercializing new products and services, and provides access to faculty advisors and industry experts. Teams of up to four students advance through a series of rounds to vie for up to $25,000 in prize money.

Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition submissions are accepted in three categories: technology ventures, high-potential service/product ventures and social ventures (with positive social or environmental impact). Entries should be innovative, feasible to implement and address an identified market need. Many successful businesses have grown out of past Holloway Prize competition entries.

TEAM ELIGIBILITY

  • The Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate students from any discipline within the University System of New Hampshire.
  • Teams may have a maximum of four members.
  • All team members must be enrolled in a USNH college or school during the fall or spring semester of the current year.
  • Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged. Teams are strongly encouraged to have at least one member with a business background. 
  • Teams must register and agree to all terms of the competition.

HOW TO ENTER

  • Identify your product or service.
  • Identify your team.
  • Contact an advisor (non-business majors are encouraged to contact a business faculty advisor as well as a faculty advisor in their specific discipline). Visit the resources page for additional information.
  • Complete the registration form by the deadline.
  • Submit a two-page response to the first round questions by the deadline.
  • Agree to participate (check bottom of registration form) in all competition activities, including the preliminary round, semi-finalist round (if selected as a semi-finalist) and finalist round (if selected as a finalist) and to create a poster.
  • Own the technology or product or have permission to present the product or technology.

JUDGES

The Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition is comprised of a series of rounds designed to give student teams real-world experience in commercializing a new product or service. The competition simulates the process of entrepreneurs' attempts to solicit funds from a venture capital firm. Judges act as potential investors who the students must convince to fund their venture.  

Throughout the competition students are given feedback to help them advance their idea to the next round and successfully launch a new business. Each round is judged by a separate team of judges comprised of successful entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, CEOs, CFOs, and other senior representatives from business and industry. A list of past judges is made available prior to each round.

INFORMATION and STUDENT MATCHING EVENT

This session is designed to offer students enrolled in non-business programs the opportunity to recruit a business student to help them develop their business plan from a financial and marketing perspective. It can also provide business students with the opportunity to recruit engineering or other students to help them develop their product/service concept. 

The session begins with a review of the competition rules, commitments, objectives, recommendations for success, and a discussion of the criteria judges will evaluate. Later, teams looking for partners will have the opportunity to make a 3-minute presentation of their product/technology or concept. Students will then have an opportunity to meet and recruit prospective partners.

  • Please register to attend this information session.
  • Students unable to find partners at this session can use the online matching form.
  • Visit the resources page for additional information.

REGISTRATION and TWO-PAGE SUBMISSION ROUND

Individual students or teams of up to four students interested in competing in the Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition must register online and respond to the first-round questions, by the deadline. Responses describe the product, market, IP protection, and resources needed to bring the product to market. It is important at this stage to identify and consult with a faculty advisor. Approximately 25 teams will advance to the next round.

FIVE-PAGE SUBMISSION ROUND

Teams advancing to this round are required to submit a 5-page response to specific questions detailing aspects from start-up to production. An executive summary, cash flow and proforma statements are required. Fifteen teams will advance to the Bud Albin Challenge Round.

CHARLES and MIRIAM NELSON POSTER COMPETITION

All teams entered in the Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition are eligible to compete for cash awards in the Charles and Miriam Nelson Poster Competition, regardless of whether they advance to the Holloway Championship Round. Teams have three minutes to present their business idea, followed by three minutes of Q&A with the judges. Judging teams comprised of representatives from business and industry will evaluate the posters based on the following criteria: a.) ability to generate enough interest in the concept through a stand-alone poster without verbal explanation of the concept; and b.) ability to generate enough interest from a hypothetical venture capitalist for them to consider asking for a formal business plan for the concept. See guidelines for additional information. See 2013 SCHEDULE for location and times.

BUD ALBIN CHALLENGE ROUND

Fifteen teams will advance to the Bud Albin Challenge Round where they will present their case before a panel of industry judges who have reviewed their 5-page submissions. Contenders have 10 minutes to present their ideas through a PowerPoint presentation, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A. All Albin Challenge Round teams will have a professionally prepared poster available for viewing by judges and others. Student posters can be included, but are not required, as part of the formal presentation.  At the conclusion of this round, all teams will receive detailed feedback from the judges. Six teams will advance to the Holloway Prize Championship Round. All teams, including those not advancing to the championship round are invited to compete in the Charles and Miriam Nelson Poster Competition.

Presentations will be videotaped and made publicly available on the competition website for students to use to help them improve their concept and presentation.

HOLLOWAY PRIZE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

The Holloway Prize Championship Round is the final stage of the Holloway Prize Innovation-to-Market Competition. Only six teams advance to this round. Like the Challenge Round, teams have 10 minutes to present their ideas through a PowerPoint presentation, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A with the judges. All teams must have a professionally prepared poster available for viewing by judges, guests and others. Teams are required to display their poster during their presentation and to stand with their poster during the reception.

The championship round is videotaped and posted on the competition website. Students are encouraged to view prior years' presentations to help prepare them for this round.