The University of Texas and Dell are looking for university students from around the world who want to improve areas of critical human need through innovation (win $50,000 to suppot your idea)

Welcome to the Dell Social Innovation Competition

The University of Texas and Dell are looking for college students from around the world who want to improve areas of critical human need through innovation.

Providing a vehicle for taking student innovations from idea to reality, Dell’s Social Innovation Competition is a real-world exercise for perfecting your skills in:

* Project/business plan development
* Pitching ideas to investors
* Building resource networks

Do you have groundbreaking idea in mind? With your fortitude and personality, can you mobilize people and resources to affect wide-ranging, scalable social change?

All teams are expected to abide by the specific rules enumerated below. The competition organizers reserve the right to disqualify any team that violates the rules, regulations or the spirit of the competition. Eligibility is subject to individual review for special circumstances.
Social Venture and Team Eligibility Rules

To qualify for the Dell Social Innovation Competition, contestants and the proposed venture must meet the following criteria:

Team Eligibility

* Undergraduate and graduate level students from any university or college in the world are eligible to enter. Proof of enrollment will be requested of all semifinalist and finalist contestants.
* The individual or team must be comprised of students currently attending a university. Students who graduated in December 2009 are eligible to enter.
* Contestants must be actively involved in the venture.
* Team size is not restricted. Teams can seek advice from mentors or outside experts, but the venture must be entirely student-led.
* All team members listed on the final venture plan will be considered full team members with equal share of the venture, unless otherwise stipulated in the venture plan.
* Teams that have previously reached the final presentation round of the Dell Social Innovation Competition may not re-enter this year's competition with the same venture.
* Team members competing must be principle owners of the venture.
* Competition entry void where prohibited by law.

Social Venture Eligibility

* The venture should exist primarily to address a significant social problem.
* The mission and practices of the venture must incorporate a quantifiable social return.
* Whether it is a for-profit business or a nonprofit organization, the venture must be financially viable.
* The venture must be scalable and take into account the potential for growth of the endeavor.
* If the venture is already in existence, it must not have been in operation for more than three years. The start of the venture is marked by first income received. Student projects entered on behalf of a business or nonprofit are not eligible.
* The proposed venture may not be a wholly owned subsidiary of an existing for-profit or nonprofit entity.
* A venture plan cannot be re-entered in the competition beyond two consecutive years.
* All plans must be written in English.


The Dell Social Innovation Competition takes place in three elimination rounds. Take the first step in making your idea come alive. Enter your idea today!

Round 1 – Deadline March 1, 23:00 UTC

Idea Submission: Students from any college or university in the world are invited to enter their ideas to change the world. When you enter, the title and description of the idea is viewable by the public. Students and the public can read the ideas and vote for their favorites. The judges from the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas select up to 50 semifinalist entries to move to the second round of competition. Also, the 10 ideas with the most votes move forward as semifinalists. Enter Here

Voting Ends – March 4, 23:00 UTC
Semifinalists Announced – March 5

Round 2 – Deadline April 1, 23:00 UTC

Social Venture Plan and Video: In round two, semifinalists create a written plan detailing the social venture and record a 3-minute video pitch. The social venture plans are judged by leaders of academia, business, government and the nonprofit sector to select three finalist teams. In round two, projects with the most votes win Dell prizes.Venture Plan and Video Guidelines

Voting Ends- April 14, 23:00 UTC
Finalists Announced – April 15

Round 3 – Final Event May 2010

Final Presentations and Awards: The three finalist teams representing universities worldwide fly to Texas to pitch their ideas live in front of a panel of expert judges. The judges will deliberate and award a grand prize at the reception following the presentations. The competition covers travel expenses for two members of each finalist team to visit The University of Texas at Austin for the final round of competition. Final Event Guidelines

Grand Prize: $50,000

The team or individual with the most ingenious entrepreneurial idea to change the world wins the grand prize of $50,000 in seed funding to launch or expand their idea.
The Tomberg Prize in Environmental Sustainability: $10,000

The Tomberg Family Philanthropies encourage the development of effective and practical solutions to environmental sustainability by challenging students to dream green. Competition entries addressing the environment are eligible to win a special $10,000 prize.

Contestants entering the competition will be notified of their eligibility to win the Tomberg Prize when the semifinalists are announced. The Tomberg Prize winner will be awarded at the reception following the final round of competition in May.
Finalists Featured on Globalgiving.com

Each of the three finalist teams automatically qualify for a spot on the GlobalGiving website, providing the opportunity to secure additional capital and exposure to donors worldwide. GlobalGiving, www.globalgiving.com, is the leading Internet-based network for peer-to-peer philanthropy.

http://www.dellsocialinnovationcompetition.com/