2023 HBS Alumni New Venture Competition
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Welcome to the 2023 HBS Alumni New Venture Competition! The Alumni Venture Competition (aNVC) serves as a launch pad for innovative new ventures from HBS alumni, providing access and exposure to potential investors, mentors, and advisors. The annual event is sponsored by the Harvard Business School's Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and Alumni Clubs & Associations. The competition is open to alumni founders with early-stage ventures, and winners will compete in the Alumni NVC Global Finale Round (virtual) to be held on March 23, 2023.  This year, we have reduced the length of the application and placed more emphasis on a thorough pitch deck!  

APPLICATION ROUND

Apply by January 30, 2023, 12:00pm ET (Boston/Eastern Standard time) in your home or launch market. However, the Virtual International Track is only for international applicants who live outside of the Asia-Pacific and Europe Regions. The Virtual International Track will be managed by the Rock Center for Entrepreneurship and Alumni Clubs & Associations.

Previous Regional Winners are not allowed to re-apply to the Alumni New Venture Competition.

IMPORTANT: You can save and modify your application at any point prior to the deadline, as long as you do not hit the "Submit" button. Once you hit the "Submit" button, you will not be able to modify your application.

REGIONAL COMPETITIONS ROUND

The first round begins at the regional level.  Once you've submitted an application, the Regional NVC Leads will review applications and shortlist the teams for their regional competition.

If your team is chosen to pitch at the regional competition, you will have the opportunity to submit a revised pitch deck to your NVC host club. Regional Competition dates vary but will take place from January - March 2023. After applications close, your NVC host club will reach out with next steps and a date for your regional competition.  If you win the regional competition, you will move onto the Global Finals round.

GLOBAL FINALS ROUND & NVC FINALE - MARCH 23, 2023

At the Global Finale,finalists will have 10 minutes to pitch and 15 minutes of Q&A (times are subject to change) in front of prominent venture capitalists and entrepreneurs.  They will also choose the Grand Prize and Runner-up winners, however, these winners will find out who they are at the Finale show.  

  • Grand Prize Winner: $75,000
  • Runner-up Winner: $25,000
  • Crowd Favorite Winner: $5,000 (chosen via a live poll at the finale)

The Global Finale will take place on Thursday, March 23, 2023.  8-10 final teams will pitch live to a panel of HBS alumni investors and founders and live to a global audience.  Participants will make a 90-second pitch and will be eligible for the Crowd Favorite Prize.  The winners of the Grand Prize and Runner-up Prize will be announced at the conclusion of the program.  

GOOD LUCK!

  • The venture must have an HBS alumni as a founder.  The alumni must be involved in the day-to-day operations. View the full list of programs that grant alumni status.

  • Ventures must have less than $2 million USD in revenue. In addition, they may not have raised more than $ 2.5 million USD in total debt/invested equity capital. This amount includes money received through grants, awards, and other funding sources. Teams must meet both criteria. Invested capital is defined as funding appearing on the plan's balance sheet at the time of submission, which is no later than January 30, 2023 at 12pm noon ET (Boston time). Teams will disclose any prior funding received at the time of registration.

  • HBS Investors are not eligible to submit companies unless they are identified as a founder and involved full-time in the day-to-day operations. The HBS Founder must be represented at all events and be the pitch lead.

  • Investment funds, acquisitions, and consulting services are not deemed "new ventures" and are not eligible.

  • No subsidiary companies are permitted to apply.

  • The Alumni Track is geared towards high growth ventures with viable business models that allow it to efficiently scale with the potential for significant financial returns.

  • You can only apply to one region.

  • All applications and supporting documents must be submitted in English.

  • The Virtual International Track is only open to international applicants who live outside of the Asia-Pacific and Europe regions

  • Cash and in-kind prizes are awarded solely to participating companies and not to any grant-funding institutions.

  • Previous Regional Winners cannot re-apply to the New Venture Competition.

The HBS Rock Center for Entrepreneurship reserves the right to disqualify any entry that violates the rules or spirit of the competition. The decision of the Rock Center is final and binding.

Regional Competitions

  • If selected to compete in the Regional competition and if travel is required, the applicant will cover their own travel to the Regional competition.
  • In the event that too few applications are submitted to a region, HBS has the right to cancel the regional competition.