What: The Wadhwani Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (WCED) at the Indian School of Business (ISB) is organising the Asia Semi Finals of the Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC). The GSVC is a unique global competition that invites business plans that are socially oriented and are yet profitable with a self sustaining model.

Details:

~ The GSVC will award those business plans that show the highest, most integrated financial and social returns. A special award is also given for the plan that has the potential for social impact assessment (SIA).

~ The WCED at the ISB will mentor participating teams from the Asia - Pacific region and support them in refining their business plans, throughout the cycle.

~ The GSVC is an opportunity to:

• Showcase ideas to bring sustainable social transformation
• Interact with venture capitalists and academicians who support social ventures
• Be Mentored by people associated with nurturing social ventures
• Participate and present the business plan in front of a global judging panel
• Get funded to grow your business

Who can compete:

All competing ventures must have an active team member who is a current MBA student or who has graduated less than two years ago.

• At least one member who is a current student in ANY graduate business program or who has graduated from any graduate business program within the past 24 months.
• Operating companies are welcome to enter, though they must be less than 3 years old (as measured by 1st revenue or 1st patent issued).
• Plan can be for a for-profit or non-profit company as long as either can be financially self-sustaining at scale.

When:

~ Asian participants are required to send in their executive summaries to the Indian School of Business (ISB) by November 22, 2007 at gsvc@isb.edu.

~ Detailed information on the GSVC can be found at: http://www.isb.edu/wced/GSVCAsia_Entrants.Shtml

Where:

The Asia Semi Final will be organized at the Indian School of Business (ISB). ISB will mentor and support the teams from the Asia-Pacific region. Two top teams from Asia will be selected for the global finals that will be held at the Haas School of Business, Berkeley, CA.

Rewards:

~ This year too, participants from around the world can compete for over $45,000 in cash and travel prizes. This year, the Grand Prize of $25,000 will be awarded to the plan that achieves both high economic and social returns. 

More about the GSVC:

~ The GSVC is a world wide competition organised by the Haas School of Business, Columbia Business School, London [Images] Business School, Indian School of Business and the Yale School of Management. The competition aspires to educate and increase the pool of entrepreneurs who can start and grow social ventures by bringing together business schools, faculty, investors, entrepreneurs, and the broader business community. By involving students, investors and entrepreneurs of today GSVC hopes to create a new generation of future business leaders, who value both the profit and social potential of business.

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