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 * About
 * Competition
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 * Youth MEC
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 * About
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2024 MEC REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!


YOUR PATH TO TOP BUSINESS SCHOOLS

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INTRODUCTION


MODEL ENTREPRENEUR®


COMPETITION

Model Entrepreneur Competition (MEC) was launched ten years ago by Columbia
Business School's Venture For All (VFA) in collaboration with IEG Global
Association. MEC is the first entrepreneur competition that started at an Ivy
League (https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/ventureforall/me).

MEC began in 2014, and we're celebrating its impressive 10th anniversary. From
the start, MEC has aimed to inspire and empower young talents to present
innovative ideas with real business potential. Through unwavering dedication, it
has become a standout among global competitions.

MEC winners have gained acceptance into prestigious institutions like Stanford,
Yale, University of Chicago, Columbia, UC Berkeley, and others. This success
showcases the caliber of talent nurtured by MEC, opening doors for aspiring
entrepreneurs.

As we commemorate this milestone, we are proud of MEC's impact on the next
generation of visionary business leaders.

OFFICIAL COMPETITION

The world’s first and only official entrepreneur competition founded at an ivy
league – Columbia Business School. IEG now facilitates all MEC’s across the
globe.

TOTAL PRIZE EXCEEDS $100,000

IEG is dedicated to bring the world’s top education experience to students all
over the world. As a non-profit organization, IEG contributed more than USD
100,000 each year in MEC.

JUDGES FROM IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS AND INDUSTRY LEADERS

The Judging Panel consists of top executives from Fortune 500 and current
professors and instructors from top universities. All team members will have a
chance to consult directly with professors and domain experts.


ABOUT MEC


_________

 

MEC stands as the quintessential entrepreneurship competition. It connects
Columbia Business School’s MBA program teachings to aspiring entrepreneurs. It
challenges students to tackle real-world business problems by crafting detailed
business plans, including product analysis, market research, marketing
strategies, financial planning, and risk management. Additionally, participants
create promotional videos and deliver compelling presentations to the judging
panel. This immersive experience equips students with practical skills and
invaluable exposure to the world of entrepreneurship and business.


MARKET ANALYSIS



Pain Point 

Your Product/Service

Market Size


PRODUCT ANALYSIS



Competitors

SWOT

Product Positioning


MARKETING





Market Segmentation

Marketing Plan

Distribution Channel


FINANCIAL PLANNING



Pro Forma Income Statement

Breakeven


RISK MANAGEMENT



Scenario Analysis

Sensitivity Analysis


TESTIMONIAL




SCHOOL FEEDBACK




A WORD FROM THE JUDGE

> MEC is a unique entrepreneurship competition that empowers aspiring
> entrepreneurs globally by providing practical learning opportunities through
> crafting comprehensive business plans, market analysis, and impactful
> presentations, fostering valuable skills for future success.

> — Martin Andersons
> 
>  President, American Latvian Association
> 
> Phi Beta Kappa, Northwestern University
> 
> Columbia Business School Hermes Society

 

 

 







COMPETITION PROCESS

MEC will be divided into First and Final rounds. The business plan’s direction
will be to address the pain points in the market, develop a solution in the form
of products or services, and build a feasible business model. After submitting
the business plan, professors and domain experts from top universities and
Fortune 500 will evaluate and select the teams that will enter the Final rounds.


2024.03.27 (PDT GMT-7)｜FIRST ROUND SUBMISSION

Form a team of 2-8 people to apply and submit a business plan. Please refer to
Example 1  or Example 2.

The Requirements of Business Proposal:

 * * The cover should include your team name, logo, team members’ names, school
     name, and the supervising teacher’s name if any.
   * Business idea: How did you come up with your business idea? Why do you want
     to create this product or service?
   * Description of an existing business pain point that you want to solve or a
     business opportunity you have identified.
   * Introduction of the product or service you have designed.
   * Description of your target customers: Who are they? What are the main
     customer segments that need your product or service the most?
   * Business value proposition.

2024.04.17 (PDT GMT-7)｜FEEDBACK ON FIRST ROUND SUBMISSION

 * Judges will provide feedback and advice for each team. Some teams will move
   directly into the Final round, while others will have a chance to re-submit
   their business proposal for reconsideration.

2024.05.06 (PDT GMT-7)｜FINALISTS NOTIFICATION

 * Finalists will be determined and announced. Depending on the number of teams
   participating, you might also be waitlisted.

2024.05.20 19:00 (PDT GMT-7)｜FINAL ROUND ORIENTATION

 * The orientation will cover the details and rules of the Final Round.
 * Orientation materials will be available to download on your MEC Dashboard
   after the orientation. 

2024.05.21 - 06.12 (PDT GMT-7)｜FINAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

 * The requirements of the business proposal for the Final Round are as follows.
   You can also refer to Example 1 or Example 2:
 * * The cover should include your team name, project name, logo, team members’
     names, school name, and the supervising teacher’s name if any.
   * Business Idea: How did you come up with your business idea? Why do you want
     to create this product or service?
   * Introduction of the product or service you have designed.
   * Customer analysis
   * Business value proposition
   * SWOT analysis
   * Competitor analysis
   * Simplified financial calculation for the next 3 years: Please at least
     include sales forecast, various expenses, breakeven, and the amount you
     require to launch your business.
   * Introduction of your team members and their roles.
   * Realistic next step.
 * The final business proposal (in PDF file) and 2 videos (in MP4 files) should be
   uploaded to your Final Round Dashboard before the deadline.
   Please follow the naming convention for the business proposal, promotional
   video, and the roadshow video:

TEAM NAME_Business Proposal
TEAM NAME_Promotional Video
TEAM NAME_Roadshow Video



 * After your Final Round submission, your team will receive a short video
   feedback from MEC judges.

2024.05.21 - 06.12 (PDT GMT-7)｜VIDEOS SUBMISSION

 * Video #1 (Promotional Video): Each team will be required to shoot a
   promotional video explaining your business ideas and/or product services. The
   video will be no more than 1 minute and 15 seconds. There is no limitation on
   the form and style of the short video, but the video content must comply with
   relevant international video and advertising laws and regulations. Racial
   discrimination, pornographic violence, and excessively exaggerated, vulgar,
   and false advertising content must not appear in the video. Examples
 * Video #2 (Roadshow Video): Each team will need to prepare a roadshow video
   that lasts no more than 3 minutes and 15 seconds. Example
   The video will cover the following seven items:

1. Describe the current problem or opportunity.
2. Customer archetypes. Who are your customers? What type of customers would
find your product or service most useful?
3. What is your business model? How will you make a profit?
4. Competitor analysis.
5. Simplified financial calculation for the next three years (you should at
least include sales forecast, various expenses, breakeven, and the amount you
require to launch your business).
6. Who are your team members? What are their roles?
7. What’s your realistic next step?

 * The final business proposal (in PDF file) and 2 videos (in MP4 files) should be
   uploaded to your Final Round Dashboard before the deadline.
   Please follow the naming convention for the business proposal, promotional
   video, and the roadshow video:

TEAM NAME_Business Proposal
TEAM NAME_Promotional Video
TEAM NAME_Roadshow Video



2024.06.16 - 06.30 (PDT GMT-7)｜PROMOTIONAL VIDEO VOTING

 * Marketing is a critical skill for any successful entrepreneur, let’s see how
   good you are!
 * All videos will be made available for public access. Each team can then get
   friends and families to vote for them.
 * The score of each team will be calculated based on the ranking of the voting
   results. Please refer to the scoring rubrics below.



2024.06.21 (PDT GMT-7)｜PRT INFORMATION ACCESS

You will be able to access your Peer Review Team (PRT)’s Business Proposal,
Roadshow Video, and Promotional Video on your MEC Final Round Dashboard. Please
carefully read through them and discuss them with your teammates. Make sure to
come up with questions to ask during the Peer Review Team Q&A Session.

2024.07.01 - 07.04 (PDT GMT-7)｜COMPETITION REHEARSAL

Please pick one of the following sessions to join the competition rehearsal: 

 * July 1st 19:00 (PDT)
 * July 2nd 21:00 (PDT)
 * July 3rd 23:00 (PDT)
 * July 5th 01:00 (PDT) 

Please use the following Zoom link to access the Rehearsal Lobby:

TBD

Meeting ID: TBD

Passcode: TBD

 

2024.07.07 - 07.10 20:00 - 22:00 (PDT GMT-7)｜FINAL ROUND

 * You will be able to download the Final Round Brochure on your MEC Final Round
   Dashboard 
 * 2022 MEC Final Round Competition Recordings:
   * Example 1
   * Example 2
   * Example 3
 * The Final Round will evaluated in 4 parts: Promotional Video Voting,
   Promotional Video, Roadshow Video and PRT and Judging Panel Q&A.
 * Part 1 will take place online, Part 2 and Part 3 will be reviewed offline,
   and Part 4 will be reviewed by the Judging Panel online during Final Round.
 * Part 4 will last a total of 20 minutes in 2 rooms:

Room 1 (10 minutes)

* 30 seconds for the first team to briefly describe its business model (elevator
pitch).

* 3 minutes and 30 seconds of Q&A with the peer review team (the second team
raises questions and the first team answers).

* 30 seconds for the second team to briefly describe its business model
(elevator pitch).

* 3 minutes and 30 seconds of Q&A with the peer review team (the first team
raises questions and the second team answers).

* 1 minute of Judging Panel’s comments for both teams. 

Room 2 (10 minutes)

* 30 seconds for the first team to briefly describe its business model (elevator
pitch)

* 30 seconds for the second team to briefly describe its business model
(elevator pitch)

* 8 minutes of Judging Panel’s Q&A for both teams. The judges may ask questions
regarding any topics of your business plan.

2024.07.11 20:00 - 21:00 (PDT GMT-7)｜AWARDS CEREMONY

 

 * Awards for the Final Round:
   * 1st Place: can up to $6,300 ($1,500 start-up fund; $600 in scholarship for
     IEG programs per member)
   * 2nd Place: can up to $6,000 ($1,200 start-up fund; $600 in scholarship for
     IEG programs per member)
   * 3rd Place: can up to $5,600 ($800 start-up fund; $600 in scholarship for
     IEG programs per member)
   * 4th Place: can up to $5,000 ($30 Amazon gift cards and $600 in scholarship
     for IEG programs per member)
   * 5th Place: can up to $5,000 ($25 Amazon gift cards and $600 in scholarship
     for IEG programs per member)
   * 6th Place: can up to $5,000 ($20 Amazon gift cards and $600 in scholarship
     for IEG programs per member)
     
      
   
   * Other team awards will be listed in the MEC Brochure.




PAST MEC WINNERS & MATRICULATION

2023 MEC - TOP 5

Ranking Team Name School Matriculation 1 Greenlight Northfield Mount Hermon TBD
2 Edulite Chinese International School, Hong Kong TBD 3 JOAL Phillips Exeter
Academy, St. Marks School, Iona Preparatory Upper School, Kent School TBD 4 Fish
Tank NationalHigh Jakarta School, Jakarta Intercultural School TBD 5 Team
Fuhsing Taipei Fuhsing Private School TBD

2022 MEC - TOP 5

Ranking Team Name School Matriculation 1 PetPartner  Chinese International
School, Hong Kong TBD 2 Easy Math Keynote Academy Beijing TBD 3 Protagonists
Taipei Fuhsing Private School NYU, UC Berkeley 4 Champion of the Elder Shenzhen
College of International Education NYU, UChicago 5 CloudApp Canadian
International School Singapore TBD

2021 MEC - TOP 5

Ranking Team Name School Matriculation 1 VOBYUS Monta Vista and Cupertino High
School Columbia, UPenn, Yale 2 Florago Chinese International School, Hong Kong
Columbia, Northwestern, NYU 3 ECHO Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliation
Rice University 4 Kallergy Monta Vista High School Columbia, Harvard, Stanford,
UPenn 5 MELÁNGE Kang Chiao International School NYU, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC

2020 MEC - TOP 5

Ranking Team Name School Matriculation 1 Ambrosiia Chinese International School,
Hangzhou Northwestern, NYU, UChicago 2 Pck Shanghai American School, Puxi Campus
NYU, UC Berkeley, UCLA 3 The Bodyguards Taipei Fuhsing Private School Johns
Hopkins, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC 4 Aims Kang Chiao International School BU, NYU,
USC 5 VisusBuy Shanghai High School International Division Cornell,
Northwestern, UPenn




PREVIOUS JUDGES


_________


DR. JACK MCGOURTY

VENTURE FOR ALL® FOUNDER

Jack McGourty Ph.D. is Director of Community and Global Entrepreneurship at the
Columbia Business School and a faculty member teaching courses about
entrepreneurship, venture creation, and product innovation.


MANOJ POOLEERY

VENTURE FOR ALL® PROFESSOR

Manoj Pooleery is the Founder and CEO of M-Phi Innovators, a specialized
technology services company that provides full range of innovation services to
businesses. He provides end-to-end technology and business strategy definition
and implementation to both startups and established businesses. He has helped
many companies get started, out of the Columbia Business School as well as
outside.


PAUL SHIH

CURRENT COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL HERMES LEADERSHIP SOCIETY MEMBER – ASIA

Paul is expecting his Doctorate in Education from The Johns Hopkins Unviersity.
He received his MBA from Columbia University and his BA in Psychology from The
Johns Hopkins University.


DR. JOSEPH RIOS

VENTURE FOR ALL® PROFESSOR

Joseph received his Ph.D. in International Comparative Education: Cultural
Anthropology and Linguistics from Stanford University, his MA from Middlebury
Institute of International Studies, and his BA from the University of
California, San Diego. He is currently a senior consultant at Google.


DR. ZELO MANGOMBO

MODEL ENTREPRENEUR® COMPETITION JUDGE

Dr. Zelo Mangombo obtained his Ph.D. Degree in Natural Science, in 2010, at the
University of the Western Cape in South Africa. He has expertise in Forensic
Science, Research & Development, Supervision, Managing, Coaching & Mentoring as
well as Teaching.


PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

All (274) A-E F-J K-O P-T U-Z



CONTACT

A: 5214 Diamond Heights Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94131

A: 90 Hamilton Street, Floor 2, Cambridge, MA 02139

T: +1.800.965.9379

E-mail：mec@ivyedugrp.org


ABOUT US

MEC is a global competition hosted by IEG Global Association. All university-run
programs are conducted by each university respectively, and IEG serves as its
official representative.

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