MBC – Seigle Impact Track
Business+Impact co-hosts the Seigle Impact Track as part of the campus-wide Michigan Business Challenge, in partnership with the Zell Lurie and Erb Institutes. The competition awards a $26,000 prize pool to the most compelling business plans that deliver social and/or environmental impact.
Seigle Impact Track Requirements
The winning team’s business plan must meet all MBC criteria as well as these requirements:
- Clearly identify a social/environmental issue.
- Articulate target population served; priority given to businesses targeting underserved populations.
- Identify social impact outcomes and key metrics with validation from community resources.
- Build a financially sustainable, scalable business model; priority given to businesses whose social mission is embedded into a scalable business model.
- Competitive teams will be able to demonstrate market or beta testing of their product/service viability, as well as steps taken towards prototyping and customer acquisition.
Seigle Impact Track
The Michigan Business Challenge Seigle Impact Track is sponsored by the Mark and Robin Seigle Entrepreneurial Innovation Fund and co-managed by Business+Impact, the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, and the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.
- See photos from Round Two, held Feb. 8, 2019, including photos featuring Practical Prosthetics (right)
- Press announcement of Round Two winners
- See photos from the Finals, held March 15, 2019
- Press announcement of Finals winners
Key Dates for 2018-19 Challenge
Late October
Mingle ‘n’ Match
October 24, 5:00 pm
TechArb – 505 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor (below lab coffee)
Information session
October 30, 5:00-6:00 pm
Michigan Ross – Blau Hall – B1580
2018 application coming soon
Early November
Applications due
Monday, November 5 by 8:00 am
Email: applymbc2019@umich.edu
November - February
Startup workshops offered at Ross
ZLI Startup Workshop: How to Pitch
November 7, 5:00 pm
Michigan Ross – R0210
MBC Workshop: Impact Assessment
January 16, 5:00 pm
Michigan Ross R1230
Mid-November
Qualifying round
November 15-16
All teams will give a three-minute pitch
Late November
Round 1 competition
November 30
Selected teams will give a three-minute pitch
Early February
Round 2 competition and Seigle Track Semifinals
February 8
Market, financial, and impact assessment deliverable with ecosystem map due
Mid-March
Regular Track Semi-Finals
March 15
Business plan, ecosystem map, and impact track addendum due
Regular and Seigle Track Finals
March 15
Finalists will discuss their businesses with the judges during an interactive session
Team Showcase
March 15
All Semi-finalist teams will display information about their ventures and talk with guests from the region
Print/PDF