Rules & Eligibility

The following is an overview of the rules and eligibility for the Global Challenge.  For complete rules and regulations, download the pdf. 

Registering your team for the Challenge serves as an acknowledgment that you and your teammates have each read and understood the complete rules and regulations.		  

Quick Links:
   I.  The Challenge
   II.  Eligibility
   III. Teams
   IV. Challenge Structure
   V.  Prizes & Benefits
   VI. Fees & Expenses

I.   The Challenge

The USAID | Smith School Global Challenge: Creating Alliances for Economic Prosperity (the Challenge) is an exciting new spin on the case competition format. Teams will be given a short open-ended prompt that will provide them the opportunity to conceptualize a mutually beneficial alliance between a private enterprise and a host country government or a public donor agency in a given region and industry. The prompt used in the Challenge has been specially designed for the Challenge, and thus will be previously unpublished and untested.

II.   Eligibility

The Challenge is open to students enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited U.S. college or university with an MBA program. To be eligible, one must have completed an undergraduate degree from an accredited school and be registered for at least one graduate level course in the spring 2010 semester.

III.  Teams

Each team will be composed of up to four graduate students from the same school. At least one of the students must be enrolled in the school’s MBA program. Other team members may be students enrolled in other graduate programs at the same school. Exactly one of these students must be listed as the team leader, and will serve as the main point of contact between the team and the Organizers.

There is no limit to the number of teams any school may enter for the first round. Each student may only participate on one team. Cooperation between teams from the same or different school is not allowed; each team must work independently.

IV.  Challenge Structure

The Challenge is divided into two rounds.

Round One Overview

Round One submissions are written documents of up to 10 pages in length, due on March 5, 2010 by 5:00 p.m.  Late submissions will not be accepted.  Written responses will be judged by a panel of industry experts on a number of criteria including originality, business feasibility, social/development impact, economic sustainability and persuasiveness.  More detailed judging criteria will be released along with the Challenge prompt on February 8, 2010.

Final Round Overview

Up to eight teams will be chosen for the Final Round, an oral competition to take place at the USAID headquarters in Washington, D.C. on April 23, 2010.  Teams will be given 15 minutes to present their proposed public-private alliance, followed by three minutes of questions from the judges.

V.  Prizes & Benefits

The team that wins the final round will receive $5,000 and will have its submission published on the Business Growth Initiative (BGI) website as well as distributed to international development professionals in hardcopy at subsequent BGI events. Teams placing second and third will receive $2,500 and $1,000, respectively, and will have their submissions published on the BGI website. All teams participating in the final round will have the unique opportunity to network with leaders in the fields of international development and business.

VI.  Fees & Expenses

There is no registration fee to participate in the Challenge. Teams invited to participate in the final round of competition in Washington, D.C. will be responsible for covering their own accommodation, food, travel, and other related expenses.