I³

Applying to the I³ Harvard College Innovation Challenge

In December and early January, individuals should decide on their ideas, form teams, and begin outlining their proposals. The common application for the four tracks of the Harvard College Innovation Challenge will be available in mid-January. For each track, competing teams will be required to submit an executive summary describing their idea and team, as well as a more comprehensive plan with details relevant to each particular track.

The I³ Competition will consist of 3 rounds of judging.

1. Create an Account
2. Complete an Initial Registration by February 8, 2008
3. Submit Final Project Plan with optional appendices
4. Applicants will then be invited to Semi-finalist interviews the weekend of March 14th

I³ Project Plan Judging Criteria

The I³ Harvard College Innovation Competition will be judged in the following four categories.

Project

• How cogent is the purpose of the project and the alignment of its activities to a demonstrable need or benefit for a well-defined group of people?
• Are the objectives of the project and the planned activities clearly defined and capable of realization in the time period funded?
• Is the proposed use of funds appropriate to the scope and activities of the project?
• As indicators of the potential of this project and the ability of the team to fulfill it, how well conceptualized, written, and presented is the proposal, in its written and verbal forms?
• Will the award of funding mobilize other resources needed to accomplish the project?

Team

• Does each member of the team have related knowledge, experience and skills to contribute to the realization of the proposed project? Are these complementary across team members?
• Does each member of the team have compelling personal and demonstrable reasons for pursuing this project?
• Does the team include engaged advisors who have needed knowledge and experience suited to the project?

Impact

• What will it mean to the personal development of the team if the work plan meets its objectives?
• If the work plan meets its objectives, what are the measurable outcomes in the short (months) and long-term (2-3 years) that it will create for its intended beneficiaries?

Overall Project

• What is your overall impression about the project?

I³ Application Questions

The full application must be submitted by Friday, February 22 at 5 PM. The questions in the final application are as follows:

Summary

• Briefly state the value proposition of your project in terms of what it will do, for whom, and what positive impact will result.
  (This statement will be made public along with your project name and track)
• Project Summary: What is your idea? State all the main elements of your proposed project in narrative fashion. What are you going to do, for what purpose, with what resources, with what effect on the world and yourself? If applicable, you may include and refer to prototypes, demos, or screenshots in the appendix.

Project

• At what stage of development is your venture? What, if any, work have you already put into it and what has that work accomplished?
• Describe in detail your work plan for the summer. A minimum of two months of work is expected, so please describe those work activities and what it will produce.
• Who is your target audience, and what demonstrable need of theirs are you trying to address? Be as specific as possible, and if possible, quantify the size of the audience and need.
• Who else is attempting to respond to this need? How are you unique?
• Describe your financial needs for the project work plan and how you would use an I³ award. Also estimate how much additional funding, if any, you would need beyond the summer project period.
• What funding do you currently have? What other modes of funding do you reasonably expect? If applicable, how will you generate revenues for sustainability/profit? Tell us how you think an I3 award would generate additional funding for your project.

Team

• Please list who is on your team and describe your reasons and theirs for pursuing this project. Also describe what each person will do on the project and what particularly relevant knowledge, experience and skills each can contribute. Describe any work the team has done together before. Briefly mention any professionals or advisors working with you and their area of expertise.
  Please include resumes or brief biographies for each team member in the appendix.

Impact

• If you receive the funding you need, carry out your summer work plan and produce what you expect, what specific, measurable and realistic benefits will (a) your target audience and (b) you and your team realize immediately and over the following 3 and 18 months?