IIM Calcutta launches The Biggest Business Plan Contest of the Year - i21 09

The buck stops here! Come and be a part of the biggest confluence of

business ideas, strategies, business plans, innovative products and

processes, and disruptive models of the future as E-Cell of IIM

Calcutta, in association with Intaglio, proudly presents "i2I'09"- The

only Business Plan contest of its type in India, which provides an

ideal platform for budding entrepreneurs to realize their dreams as we

connect them to ideas, money and people who matter.

The legacy of i2I has grown in proportions in a short span of time.

While i2I' 08 became a springboard for 4 finalists to launch their own

firm successfully, i2I'09 promises to raise the bar further. How? Canaan Partners, Indavest Starter Fund & Indian Angel Network, our investment partners

will be looking for opportunities to offload hefty capital to

kick-start the brightest of business ideas. New product or an

innovative business solution, our eminent panel of industry experts and

patrons from TiE and NEN will provide expert reviews and mentoring

to improve and fine-tune your B-plan. Sponsors like UK India Business

Council and Tata Administrative Services speak volumes about the truly

global stature of the event.

The short-listing process will be spread broadly over 3 stages,

beginning with submission of an executive summary from 15th October

onwards. Short-listed teams will have to present the detailed version

in the Pitch round. The best entries will be invited to present the

plan at the Grand Finale which would be held alongside TiE Conference

at Kolkata. The details of the event are as follows:

• Submission Deadline for First round: 5th November 2008.
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• Pitch round: 11th - 15th December 2008 at various prime locations of the country.
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• Grand Finale - 9th January at Kolkata.

Padmaja Ruparel of Indian Angel Network - "Entrepreneurship

is the engine for growth " and angel investing is the fuel. Angel

investors look at start up / early stage ventures for investing money,

strategic advice and leveraging their networks. Indian Angel Network

(IAN), the first and now the largest angel group has invested in 16

ventures across multiple sectors. IAN is delighted to partner with i2I,

one of the most active entrepreneurship cells in the country and hope

to see some high quality entrepreneurial teams / plans from this

business plan."

Ganesh Rengaswamy at Indavest Starter Fund - "We, at Indavest

Starter Fund (ISF), are excited to be associated with i2I as a flagship

event to celebrate entrepreneurship, and support high potential

companies and entrepreneurs especially at early stages of their

journey. The last year saw over 150 entries in i2I and out of the 9

finalists, 4 have started their businesses. i2I is a powerful national

platform for entrepreneurs to access high quality mentors and

Investment partners. We look forward to working closely with the i2I

team and the participating companies to help develop their businesses.

ISF will consider funding exciting opportunities coming out of the i2I

platform this year."

Sharon Bamford, CEO of UK India Business Council - "The UK

India Business Council is delighted to partner with E-Cell IIM

Calcutta. India is a hotbed of entrepreneurial talent and this is a

great opportunity for us. We want to provide support and opportunity

for India"s next generation of entrepreneurs to capitalise on their

ideas and provide knowledge and networks to ensure the UK is a partner

of choice for their global ambitions."

Laura Parkin at NEN - "i2I plays a critical role in spurring

entrepreneurship in Eastern India, and even nationally. Over the past

years, several of the winners have gone on to start their businesses.

And perhaps more importantly, the large scale of the event brings

attention to entrepreneurial opportunities and helps inspire the next

generation of entrepreneurs. At NEN, we are delighted to partner with

IIM Calcutta to support them in this event."

Shradha Sharma at YourStory.in - "YourStory.in is the first

dedicated online media platform for SME and Start-up entrepreneurs in

India with a focus on creating a strong eco system that enables high

visibility and networking opportunities for its members. YourStory is

proud to associate with i2I and will provide an in-depth coverage of

the event, actions behind the scene and chronicle the making of young

entrepreneurs. So stay tuned with us as we kick start our reporting

from the IIM Calcutta campus." For more information and registration,

visit online at www.iimc-intaglio/i2I.

Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] for any further assistance.