How to Apply
The Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative (ESEI) seeks to encourage entrepreneurially oriented students to develop and grow new ventures based on their own concepts.
ESEI recognizes that no set of rules, no matter how thorough or carefully developed can ever cover all circumstances. However, all teams are expected to abide by specific rules provided below. ESEI reserves the right to disqualify any team that violates the rules, regulations or the spirit of the Initiative.
Venture and Team Eligibility Guidelines
• The Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative supports student created, managed, and owned ventures.
• NEW RULE CHANGE: The Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative is open to all students across the university. The team lead of the venture must be an ASU student at time of award. This means that seniors graduating in May are eligible and encouraged to apply as the venture can be worked on after graduation.
• The team leader can be enrolled in any ASU program as either an undergraduate or graduate student.
Team Composition
There is no restriction on team size, however three to five people on the team is suggested.
Multi-disciplinary teams are highly encouraged.
Non-students may be members or the venture’s management team, however only enrolled ASU students are eligible to apply as the team leader.
Nature of Ventures
The Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative is seeking new, independent ventures in the seed, start-up, or early growth stages. Generally excluded are the following: buy outs, real estate syndications, tax shelters, and franchises.
Orientation/Training Sessions
Attending a training session will give you a better idea of what goes into planning a new venture and how to write a competitive new venture concept proposal. It will also give you an opportunity to meet fellow students who may have similar venturing interests. See the Calendar for more details about oreintation sessions and other ESEI events. Attendance at a session is NOT required to submit a New Venture Concept Proposal but is highly recommended.
Start developing your new venture concept
After attending one of the training/orientation sessions and finding a team, start developing your venture concept. Be sure to review the instructions on the application (Word) and the judging criteria, as well as understanding the rules for use of funds.
Seek advisors and/or mentors
Once a general plan has been developed, seek out advice from those familiar with your chosen industry, both on and off campus.
Submit your New Venture Concept Proposal and Team Application
The Concept Proposal is a written conceptualization of your new venture. Teams not meeting this deadline will not be qualified for review. The proposal should be a clear yet concise representation of your ideas for the judging panel. Therefore we suggested that the paper should be around 10-12 pages in length. An appendix (15-pages maximum) may also be submitted.
Submission Requirements
• One (1) electronic version of the New Project Concept Proposal is to be emailed to studentventures@asu.edu
• Two (2) hard copies of the New Project Concept Proposal
• 1 hard copy should be bound and 1 hard copy should be stapled/clipped and NOT bound. Three ring binders or folders are not an acceptable binding for the hard copy
• The project application form (see link in left margin) must be the cover on all hard copies. This means it should be the very first page viewed at the top, and should precede your proposals cover page
• Hard copies are to be delivered to the Edson Office or received through mail/shipment by the deadline:
Attn: Scott Perkofski
Address: 1475 N. Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, Arizona 85257
(located on the second floor in SkySong on the SE corner of Scottsdale Rd and McDowell Rd).
After Proposals are Submitted
All proposals submitted on time that meet qualifications will be reviewed and select proposals will be advanced to the semifinalist round. Semifinalist will go through a second review process, from this pool a group of finalists will be selected. Please do not contact the Edson office regarding your proposals status. Emails will be sent to team leaders providing status of team’s advancement to each round.
Prepare for finalist presentations
Selected finalist will be invited to give a ten minute presentation to the ESEI judging panel. Upon completion of the finalist presentations, the judging panel will make their award decisions based on the written proposals and presentations.
Award Notifications!
All finalists will be notified in May on the outcome of their application.