What is the Clean Tech Business Plan Competition?

The Clean Tech Business Plan Competition is a contest that was created to support AC-NET’s mission to advance the development and commercialization of energy and water technologies. This competition will help to introduce advancements in emerging technologies to prospective investors such as large technology companies or venture capitalist firms. It is an ideal forum for “seed” to “early-stage” companies and entrepreneurs to showcase their water or energy innovation, while receiving attention from potential financing sources.

How do I enter the competition?

To enter the Clean Tech Business Plan Competition, please apply online here.

How do I determine if I’m eligible to participate?

To be eligible to participate in the 2010 Clean Tech Business Plan Competition, it is preferred that your company be located within Southern California and must have revenues of less than $2 million per year. For individuals or teams submitting entries, it is preferred that you work or reside within this region to be eligible.

How will entries be judged?

Business plan summaries will be reviewed in three rounds of judging. All entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• How well does the technology address current regional water or energy challenges?
• What is the profit potential of this technology in today’s marketplace?

If your work involves modeling and simulation, please state whether the results have been compared to experimental data, and provide details where appropriate.

What sort of regional water or energy challenges should I address for the Clean Tech Business Plan Competition?

For some examples of the types of water and energy challenges the City of Anaheim currently faces, click here (please note that the list of water and energy challenges on this page is not comprehensive, and applicants are free to address other energy/water issues facing Southern California municipalities, businesses, and citizens).

What sort of innovations reflect what the Clean Tech Business Plan Competition is about?

To see highlights of past innovations that the City of Anaheim worked with, please click here.

What will the judging be like in each round of the competition?

There will be a total of three judging rounds in order to determine the winners. Each round will consist of the following:

• Round 1
• All entries will be reviewed and 10 semifinalists will be selected.
• Round 2
• The 10 semifinalists selected will make an oral presentation in front of a panel of judges. Of those, five will be selected to be finalists.
• Round 3
• The five finalists will have 10 minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges, followed by another five minute question-and-answer round. When all finalists have completed their presentations, the judges will deliberate privately and select three winners.

All semifinalists and finalists will be contacted approximately 1-2 weeks in advance to prepare for their presentations. All finalists will also have access to Cal State Fullerton MBA students to help with their business plan presentations (if needed).

The final round of competition (Round 3) is (TBA).

What are the awards for the Clean Tech Business Plan Competition?

Three winners will receive the following monetary awards:

1st Place: $25,000
2nd Place: $10,000
3rd Place: $5,000

All winners will also receive promotion on the AC-NET Web site, and the chance to network with our sponsors and VIP guests.

Are there sponsorship opportunities available?

Yes. To learn about our sponsorship packages and apply to be a sponsor, click here.

When is the deadline for submitting an entry?

The submission date for the 2010 Clean Tech Business Plan Competition is April 12. You may submit an entry using our online form, which you can access by clicking here.

When is the deadline to become a sponsor?

To ensure that our sponsors receive all the benefits associated with becoming a Clean Tech Business Plan Competition sponsor – such as those mentioned in our publicity and marketing materials – we ask that all sponsorship payments be received as soon as possible. A submittal deadline date is coming soon.

What is the minimum and maximum number of people who can be on a team for the Clean Tech Business Plan Competition

The Clean Tech Business Plan Competition will allow a single individual to enter the competition, but the maximum number of team members is capped at five.