How the EIC is Judged

Taken straight from the EIC website:

* Environmental Innovation Challenge
o Course
o Team Preparation
o Timeline + Deliverables
o Prizes + Sponsors

* Course
* Team Preparation
* Timeline + Deliverables
* Prizes + Sponsors

Judging Criteria

UW Environmental Innovation Challenge

UW Environmental Innovation Challenge judges come from many sectors of business, industry, government, education and policy.

Maximum number of points that any team can earn during the Challenge is 100 points.

We break them out this way:

5 to 7-page business summary 20 points
1-page business summary 10 points
Pitch to audience at the Challenge 10 points
Demo (prototype, simulation) at the Challenge 40 points
Potential for impact 20 points

Each 5-7 page Business Summary (due from teams on March 3, 2011 at midnight) will be judged on:

* Definition of the Problem
What is the size of the problem? How difficult a problem is this to solve? What attempts have already been made to solve this problem?

* Team
Who are the individuals on the team? Do they have the skills to solve the problem? Have they engaged advisors, mentors, experts from the community or industry?

* Business Summary
Does it define the problem?
Does it describe the solution?
What will the demo consist of (prototype, simulation, proof of concept, poster, video)?
Is the solution original/a novel application of an existing product/off the shelf?
Has the team researched and described the market opportunity, the competition?
What is the scope of the opportunity (dollars, units produced, global impact)?
Does the solution fit the problem? Does it demonstrate an appropriate balance between the cost of the solution and its impact on the problem?
What would it cost to produce?

The Challenge teams that present on March 31, 2011 will be judged on their 1-page business summary, their pitch, their demo of the prototype, and the potential for impact.

* 1-page business summary: same criteria as for the 5- to 7-page summary (above)

* 1-2 minute pitch to the judges:
How motivated, enthusiastic is the team?
Have they been able to convey the essential elements of the problem, the solution, and the market opportunity?
How well do they understand the problem/solution (from both technical and marketing perspectives)?
Have they generated enthusiasm to see their demo?

* The demo of the prototype:
Does the Demo work? If it is not yet complete, could it work?
Has the team provided test results and validation?
Can the team describe the process and how it works?
Can they describe how it could be improved?
Is this solution efficient? Does it make optimal use of resources?
How practical is this solution? What would it cost to make?
Is this original work? Is it a novel application of an existing product? Is it off-the-shelf?

* Potential for Impact:
Could this team and this solution have a substantial impact in the market? In the world? In people’s lives?