Student Entrepreneurship Challenge: Solutions for Sustainable Impact 

Congrats to the following teams and schools for placing 1st and 2nd in the Student Entrepreneurship Challenge:

  • 1st Place: "East TN Tutor Network" Catherine Taylor, Joe Bedford, Jameisha Robinson and Vanya Malmstead from Pellissippi State Community College (Tennessee) - Instructor: Mark Fuentes 

  • 2nd Place: "Alaka'i Initiative" Meghann Matsuda and Meagan Luoma from Kauai Community College (Hawaii) - Instructor: Dirk Soma 

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Over the past six years, NACCE has partnered with HP Foundation on HP LIFE to help community college students across the US learn core business and entrepreneurship skills including design thinking, marketing, finance, and more. It is with these skills that students are able to create their own jobs or spur innovation as employees in other firms. 

We are pleased to announce that this year our collaboration has expanded to include a social entrepreneurship competition...introducing the Student Entrepreneurship Challenge: Solutions for Sustainable Impact! 

INNOVATE SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT QUALITY EDUCATION IN YOUR COMMUNITY

This competition is for NACCE members only and will engage both NACCE member HP LIFE users AND their respective students/clients. The overarching goal of this competition is for students to work on solutions to local challenges that relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal #4: Quality Education. This competition provides high quality learning content on HP LIFE, professional development for NACCE members and their students, dedicated coaching and mentorship, the opportunity to win prize money and a trip to California!

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

100% FREE   -   PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT  -   $1,000 PRIZE   -   TRIP TO CALIFORNIA

Benefits of Participating:

  • All participating schools will be recognized here as HP LIFE/NACCE Ambassadors, in NACCE's journal Community College Entrepreneurship and on social media.
  • The top five teams chosen will be awarded full conference scholarships (1 scholarship for the NACCE member advisor and 1 scholarship for the student team lead for a total of two scholarships per school) to NACCE 2019 Entrepreneurship Explorations in Newport Beach, CA from October 13-16, 2019.
  • The top five teams chosen will be given $1,000 travel stipends for 1 NACCE member advisor and 1 student team lead for a total of $2,000 per school.
  • The top five teams chosen will have the opportunity to exhibit in the NACCE marketplace at NACCE 2019, as well as pitch on the mainstage. 
  • The top two teams will be awarded prize money to further their business ideas ($1,000 to 1st place and $500 to 2nd place), as well as further training, resources and education from their respective schools. 
  • Teams 6+ will receive professional development and the opportunity to participate in an online pitch competition. The top 3 teams will receive $100 gift cards.

Requirements:

  • Your school must be a NACCE member to compete.
  • Student teams must have 2-4 student participants, one being the team lead, and a NACCE member advisor. We recommend that faculty run this competition with their entire classrooms, splitting up the class in teams of 2-4.
  • Participants (both NACCE members and their students) must create HP LIFE accounts at www.life-global.org/go/nacce and students must complete the following course: Starting a Small Business. (Please make sure each team member has an account and completes the course.)
  • Participants must submit their certificates of achievement (PDF version) for the above course in the application form. The student team lead should submit the application on behalf of their entire team, uploading all team member’s PDFs.
  • NACCE member schools must commit to further training, resources and education for competing students.
  • The top five chosen teams must attend NACCE 2019 (both NACCE member advisors and student team leads) in Newport Beach, CA from October 13-16. 

Timeline of Competition:

  • August 13 - Application Opens - APPLY HERE
  • August 14 - Informational Webinar about Competition - REGISTER HERE
  • September 13 - Application Closes - It’s our goal to have 100 teams apply! Join us!
  • September 15 - Top 20 Teams are Announced
  • September 19 - Online Pitch Competition Takes Place with 10 teams from 4-6 PM ET
    • Each team will have 3-4 minutes to pitch their business idea to a panel of judges from HP. Judges will have 1-2 minutes to ask questions. Students will be judged on the following:
      • PROBLEM: Understanding of local social challenge that needs to be solved
      • SOLUTION: Identifies customer pain points and how they plan to solve the problem
      • RELEVANCE & INNOVATION: Creative idea that has potential to scale
      • PITCHING & PRESENTATION SKILLS: Demonstrates enthusiasm, confidence and makes a compelling pitch

DOWNLOAD PITCH DECK

  • September 20 - Online Pitch Competition Takes Place with 10 teams from 1:30-3:30 PM ET
  • September 21- Teams Rankings are Announced
    • Top 5 – Professional development; Virtual Mentors from HP Employees; Attend NACCE 2019 in Newport Beach, CA to exhibit, pitch on main stage and chance to win cash prizes
    • Teams 6+ – Professional development; Online pitch competition #2 and opportunity to win gift cards
  • September 24 -  Introductory Webinar with Top 20 Teams from 3-4 PM ET & Complete Design Thinking Course by end of week; Work with NACCE member advisor
    • If it is not possible for all team members to join the kick-off session, please make sure that the team lead or at least one representative from your team will attend the session.
    • Please make sure each team member completes the course.
    • Advisor should expand teaching on this topic.
  • Week of September 30 - Complete Social Entrepreneurship & Basics of Finance; Work with NACCE member advisor; Start working on “My Business Plan”
    • Please make sure each team member completes the courses.
    • Advisor should expand teaching on these two topics.
    • Optional Courses: Finding Funding, Profit & Loss, Cash Flow and Setting Prices
  • Week of October 7 – Complete Unique Value Proposition; Work with NACCE member advisor; Submit Business Plan using the “My Business Plan” feature on HP LIFE
    • Please make sure each team member completes the courses.
    • Advisor should expand teaching on this topic.
    • Optional Courses: Your Target Audience, Effective Presentations and Customer Relationship Management
  • Week of October 14
    • Online Pitch Competition Round 2 for Teams 6+ DATE/TIME TBD
      •  Top 3 Teams from Online Pitch Competition Round 2 will be awarded $100 gift cards
    • Top 5: Onsite at NACCE 2019
      • Sunday, October 13 – Top 5: NACCE member advisor & student teams exhibit at the NACCE 2019 opening evening reception; NACCE members vote on best pitch
      • Monday, October 14 – Top 5: Students participate in professional development workshops, pitch to a panel of judges and receive mentoring
      • Tuesday, October 15 - Top 5: Teams pitch during morning mainstage session to NACCE conference attendees. Attendees vote on top two teams. During the afternoon mainstage session, winners are announced. Professional photos and videos take place. 

#StudentEshipChallenge