Special Events

2008 Nevada High School Business Plan Competition

Open to all Nevada High School Students

Cash Prizes and Award Ceremony to top winners!

Submit plans by March 25, 2008

Submission Form (PDF)

To: Melissa Scott
Nevada Department of Education
1820 East Sahara, Suite 205
Las Vegas, NV 89104

Awards Ceremony to be held April 25, 2008
Green Valley Ranch Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

Presented by Nevada Department of Education, Nevada Council on Economic Education and Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

Official Rules

  1. Each team may submit only one business plan to the competition.
  2. The Official Business Plan Cover Page must accompany all entries.
  3. Either an individual or a group may develop the business plan. Group size should not exceed five eligible team members.  Group members must be students and have a key role on the management team (i.e. CEO, COO, VP, etc.).
  4. The business plan must be for a seed or start-up venture in Nevada and address the entire business concept (including implementation). Proposals for the buy-out or expansion of an existing company or franchise are not eligible.
  5. The business plan must represent the original work of each contestant. The author(s) will retain all rights to the plan regarding its use at all times prior to and following the competition. 
  6. Due to the nature of the competition, we will not ask judges, reviewers, sponsors, or staff to agree to or sign non-disclosure statements for any participant. By participating in the competition, entrants agree that neither members of the judging panel, sponsors nor their designate organizations, assume any liability whatsoever for any disclosures of business plan information which may be made (whether inadvertently or otherwise) by any judge, reviewer, staff member, audience member or other individual connected with, participating in, viewing, hearing, or receiving information from the competition.
  7. The plans may not contain fabricated information about (but not limited to) the following: backgrounds, experience and educational level of members of the management team, stage of product development, product performance claims, or market survey results.
  8. Plans are limited to 30 pages of typed text, which includes the Executive Summary and excludes appendices. Cover sheets are not counted in total number of pages.
  9. Summary financial data should include a cash flow statement, income statement, balance sheet, and funds required/used. Also, delineate the possible exit strategies.
  10. Appendices should be included only when they support the findings, statements and observations in the plan. Because of the number of teams/plans entering the competition, reviewers and judges may not be able to read all of the material in the appendices. Therefore, the text portion of the plan (30 pages) must contain all pertinent information in a clear and concise manner.

NEVADA HIGH SCHOOL BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION EVALUATION CRITERIA

Criteria : Possible Points

Cover Sheet : 5

Executive Summary: Clear & effective stand-alone overview of the plan. : 25

Description of Business: Business purpose, identification of market need, history and background, short and long term goals : 25

Production/development: products and services produced and sold, industry analysis, uniqueness of products/services, resources required (including location, materials, etc) : 30

Marketing Strategy: Description of market, competition, market size, 4 P’s (product, price, promotion, place) : 30

Ownership/Management: Form of ownership, backgrounds of key individuals, personnel needs : 25

Financial Plan: Start up costs, revenue forecasts, pro forma financial statements, requested funds/ROI, break-even analysis, critical risks : 30

Time Line: Timing of key objectives, relationship of events : 15       

Creativity: Uniqueness, innovativeness : 15

Total Possible Points : 200