Business Track: Participating teams require at least one Harvard Business School MBA student who plays a primary role in the business. The HBS student should be a part of the founding team and a significant equity holder, if equity has been distributed.

There is a $1,500,000 limit in seed capital raised and a $2,000,000 limit in revenue generated. Please view the eligibility page for more information.

Social Enterprise Track: Teams must meet the two following criteria: 1) include at least one student who meets one of the criteria listed on our eligibility page; 2) be composed of a majority of Harvard University graduate students, and these members must have meaningful roles in the venture and the Competition presentation.

Business track judges will be drawn from a variety of backgrounds, including funders, founders, industry experts and executives, lawyers, , and other specialists deemed appropriate to understand the commercial viability of a business idea.

Social Enterprise track judges will be drawn from a variety of backgrounds representing a range of industries, including those from funding organizations (including impact investors, philanthropists, and venture philanthropists), capacity building organizations, and social entrepreneurs.

Business Track: Only teams with an HBS students co-founder are eligible.

Social Enterprise Track: See the Eligibility page for requirements for non-HBS student teams, as well as the Social Enterprise Track Teams page to join a team.

The winning team for both the Business and Social Enterprise Tracks will receive cash (taxable) plus in-kind services. One runner up for each track will also receive cash (taxable) plus in-kind services. For the Business Track, under the terms of prize funding, prize money checks can only be written to Harvard Business School students. For the SE Track, prize money checks can only be written to HBS students, Center for Public Leadership Fellows or Harvard graduate student currently enrolled in a related course.

Note that these awards are taxable, and that we must have your social security number before a check is cut. Each team winning a prize will have sole responsibility for deciding how to allocate or otherwise use its prize proceeds. The organizers of the Competition will not become involved, either voluntarily or by request, in a team's decision concerning the allocation or use of prize proceeds.

Each year, many teams go on to launch their ventures, and not all were Competition winners. The Competition is designed to give students the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship and test ideas.

All teams, regardless of placement in the competition, benefit from speakers, workshops, office hours, and written/oral feedback from judges, faculty, and staff.

Yes, if you register to participate you have the option to withdraw of the competition until the final registration deadline.

You can participate with only 1 team. Additionally, the project can only be entered in one track of the New Venture Competition (e.g. Business,Social Enterprise or Alumni).

Business Track: Yes, but not with the same business idea if you were a grand prize or runner-up winner. You may compete with the same idea if you did not win one of these prizes. You may also compete in your second year with a different idea.

Social Enterprise Track:

• If you were a grand prize or runner-up winner, you may not compete with the same business idea.
• If you were a finalist team that did not place as winner or runner-up, we will look at how the idea has evolved since the initial entry to determine eligibility.
• If you were not a finalist, you may compete with the same idea.
• All teams may also compete a second time with a different idea.

Business Track: Participating teams require at least one Harvard Business School MBA student who plays a primary role in the business and is present at the Super Saturday judging. The HBS student should be a part of the founding team and a significant equity holder, if equity has been distributed.

Social Enterprise Track: The Social Enterprise Track is open to students in good standing who are enrolled in a full-time graduate degree program at Harvard University. See website for complete details on team eligibility.

Yes, as long as you are not a winner or runner up in the New Venture Competition. If you are a grand prize or runner-up winner, you may not submit the same idea for a Rock Summer Fellowship or for the Rock Accelerator award. You may compete in other Harvard Competitions.

Business Track:Yes, there is a $1,500,000 limit in capital raised and a $2,000,000 limit in revenue.

Social Enterprise Track:Revenues or donations since inception (either earned or contributed) are generally $100,000 or less.