• Due January 23, 2009 at midnight
• Download the Business Proposal Summary Entry Form (Microsoft Word format). Eligible applicants will prepare a summary of their business idea up to 1500 words using the Entry Form. Brief resumes of entrants also may be included outside of the 1500 word limit.
• Electronically submit your Entry Form and Business Proposal Summary to champagneevents@sasktel.net by midnight on January 23, 2009. You will be sent an email confirmation within 24 hours. If you do not receive it, please resubmit by forwarding your original email entry. The confirmation will be the official receipt of your summary.
• Check the website to see where and when information sessions will be taking place that you may want to attend.
• Up to eight finalist entries will be announced February 17, 2009. Those applicants that do not make the finals will be notified by email and provided with a list of resources that are available to assist them in completing their business plan. While there is only room for up to 8 finalist entries at this time, competitors still have access to resources to start a successful firm in this province.

• Due Date Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 5 pm
• Business Development Training and Coaching sessions will be held from February to May for the Finalist teams in preparation for the final judging process
• Seven copies of the final plans will be delivered to Champagne Events Management
  8th Floor, Delta Bessborough Hotel, 601 Spadina Cres. Saskatoon, SK S7K 3G8
• Judges will have the plans for 2 weeks to review before the presentations
• Final presentations will be made to the judging panel and winners will be announced at an awards dinner party event June 3-4, 2009. Please check the website for updates.

The following topics must be included in your Business Proposal Summary:

• The Opportunity
• The Business Idea
• The Market
• The Team
• The Operation
• The Money
• The Risks
• The Sustainable Competitive Advantage
• The Reason your proposal should be considered for this competition

You have a 1500 word limit. You can include brief resumes of the team members in addition to the 1500 words.

The following are some general criteria that will be considered by the competition judges. These are also criteria used in industry, by private investors, financial institutions, and venture capitalists in evaluating the attractiveness of new venture proposals.

• Commitment and experience of the team
• Uniqueness of the idea
• Understanding of the marketplace
• Size of market opportunity
• Realism of market opportunity
• Potential for growth
• Ease of access to the market
• Competitive position
• Realism of product/service mix
• Plans for future product development
• Realistic supporting operational strategy
• Healthy and realistic financial projections
• Financial consistency
• Presentation in written and oral form
• Research to substantiate the plan

• A team must have at least one participant who plays a major decision making role in the company (CEO, CFO, etc.) and owns significant shares, and who, in addition, also satisfies one of the following conditions:
1. is a current student of a recognized private or public post-secondary educational institute in Canada, or,
2. has graduated from a recognized private or public post-secondary educational institute in Canada within the last two school years (August 2006)
• Business ideas must be located and have their head office in Saskatchewan.
• For teams that include members that are not full time students, the student must have a major leadership role and ownership stake in the proposed venture (eg., CEO/VP) and be on the board of directors.
• There are no restrictions on the size of the team however, teams should clearly indicate the suitability of the team and rationale for its makeup.
• The number of entries submitted by a team or individual is restricted to one.
• Teams that have already secured arrangements for capital from any source (for example, sales revenue, research grants, family, or personal funds, outside investment) must disclose the amounts and sources in their entries.
• Ventures that have already started (ie submitted a year end) are ineligible. If you have any questions or special circumstances you wish to discuss, please contact Monica Kreuger.
• Entries must be the original work of the applicant(s).
• The business idea must comply with the laws of Saskatchewan and Canada.

Up to 8 startup awards will be awarded.

• First award is $25,000 and provision of startup support services/mentoring
• Second award is $15,000 and provision of startup support services/mentoring
• Third award is $10,000 and provision of startup support services/mentoring
• Fourth award is $5,000 and provision of startup support services/mentoring
• There are up to 4 finishing awards of $2,000 in reimbursements of startup expenses each and access to mentoring support

Conditions of Award Acceptance

All awards will be issued to the business name and therefore, in order to obtain the award, the winners must at a minimum;

• be registered as the business that they entered in the competition
• have purchased a business licence in the province of Saskatchewan
• have a business bank account in the province of Saskatchewan
• have incurred eligible business startup expenses demonstrating that they have started their enterprise

Platinum, Gold, and Silver Awards

The sponsor in these categories have the option of purchasing shares in the winner's company as a shareholder investment and which will be made upon formal agreement between the sponsor and the winning company. It is also the prerogative of the sponsor to choose not to invest, but all applicants must understand that this award means that the sponsor has the right to purchase shares and ownership in the company. The negotiation is between the sponsor and the winner. None of the competition or education partners or other sponsors will be responsible or liable for this agreement.

Bronze Awards

These awards are in the form of allowable business expenditure reimbursements up to the value of $2,000 from the sponsor of the category. Original receipts must be provided, reviewed and approved by Champagne Events Management for acceptance as business purchases, whereupon they will contact the sponsor who will issue a cheque to the business they have sponsored. Award winners must not approach the sponsor directly for reimbursement.

All awards must be accepted and fulfilled within three months from the date of the competition banquet unless otherwise agreed to by the Competition Partners and Sponsor.

All winners will be required to sign an award acceptance and release of indemnity form upon notification of award.

CTV Television Inc. and its parent, affiliates, officers, directors, agents, and employees are in no manner acting as a sponsor of this competition. By entering this competition each entrant expressly understands, acknowledges and agrees that such entities and persons will have no liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation in this competition or any prize awarded. CTV Television Inc. is not responsible for typographical or other errors in the offer or administration of the competition, including but not limited to errors in advertising, the rules, the selection and announcement of winner, or the distribution or redemption of any prize.