DISHA-2006 Business Plan Competition will be made online with only the final round of presentation to be held on 4th January, 2007 at Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. National Innovation Foundation (NIF) invites participation of students from management and engineering colleges, agricultural universities and pharmacy colleges. 

Team composition
1. Each team can have a maximum of four members.
2. All the members in a team have to be students. Professionals are not allowed to participate.
3. A team may have members from more that one educational institute and/or discipline. This may be required given the diverse mix of innovations and traditional knowledge at grassroots in the database of NIF. 

Registration
1. Teams can register for DISHA- 2006 by filling up the registration form.
2. Each team will be given a login id and password using which the team can access all participation related information on the SCAI website. 
3. The alternative e-mail id provided by the team in the registration form will be used for all communication during the competition.
4. Each team shall have a coordinator whose complete details will have to be furnished in the registration form.
5. Initially a team may opt to register with fewer members (less than four). Additional members, if any, may be added anytime before 11:59 pm, 25th November 2006. Similarly, any other change in the team’s composition or profile could be made before 11:59 pm, 25th November 2006. However, once a team has confirmed its registration any such change will not be permitted.

Confirmation
Each team will have to confirm its participation latest by 11:59 pm, 25th November 2006 with three innovation titles (in order of preference) and names of all the team members. Incase a team has less than four members, the same should be mentioned explicitly at the time of confirmation.

Project Allocation
1. Teams will choose innovations from the list of projects put up by NIF.
2. Since, the number of innovations to be offered to teams is limited and number of participants expected to be high, all the teams participating are requested to choose three innovations in their order of preference from the list provided under ‘project offerings’. 
3. NIF will allocate one project to every team from the preference list given by it on first come first serve basis. Geographical proximity of the innovator’s place to the location of institute will also be considered while allocating project to a team. 
4. Confirmation of project title allocated to a team will be made by NIF latest by 11:59 pm, 27th November 2006 on the alternative student id provided by the team at the time of registration. 

Non Disclosure Agreement 
1. The teams that confirm their participation will be required to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement before beginning work on the innovations. 
2. Teams are expected to visit the local markets and innovator’s place to get first hand understanding of the market and technology they choose to work upon. 

Submission
1. The submission of business plan has to be made latest by 11:59 pm, 20th December 2006.
2. The submission has to be made online. CDs also need to be sent to NIF. 

Evaluation
1. The business plans submitted will be evaluated on the basis of its- 
· Applicability,
· Depth of analysis,
· Real market data,
· Options explored (different scales, different business models),
· Methodology,
· Innovative approach (product bundling, vital marketing, piggy backing established supply chains, national and international markets may be explored, etc.)
2. Our distinguished jury comprising of academicians, industrialists, management experts and representatives from NIF will evaluate the business plans.
3. Jury’s decision will be considered to be final in all matters. 

Final Presentation
1. Announcement of the teams short listed will be made on 23rd December 2006. The same will be communicated to the teams by e-mail. 
2. Short-listed teams will be invited to IIM, Kolkata to put up a presentation before the jury on 4th January 2007. The final winners of DISHA- 2006 will then be declared. 
3. For all the participating teams travel cost and other overheads incurred would be reimbursed by NIF. Local hospitality, stay and food would be taken care of by IIM, Kolkata at its campus.

The Booty

First prize Rs. 40,000
Second prize Rs. 20,000
Third prize Rs. 15,000
Five consolation prizes Rs. 5000 each
Special prize* Rs. 10,000
* For the team, which will successfully implement its business plan in the most effective manner (be able to bring an innovation to the market either through a technology transfer or setting up an enterprise or any other innovative model you suggest). In this case the time limit can be extended depending upon the team’s suitability. 

Datelines

11:59 pm, 25th November 2006 Registration of teams with project/innovation titles
27th of November 2006 Allocation of project to the teams
11:59 pm, 20th December 2006 Submission of business plans
11:59 pm, 23rd December 2006 Announcement of teams short-listed and communication by e-mail
4th January 2007 Final presentation at IIM, Kolkata

All teams participating are expected to adhere to all the above-mentioned deadlines.
NIF’s decision will hold validity in all matters pertaining to any dispute.