FAQ

You can learn more about Innovation Challenge events on our website, via email by signing up to our mailing list or by joining the Innovation Challenge Slack.

A wide spectrum of workshops will be offered, such as forming a successful team, enterprise and design, developing a business plan, storytelling and understanding sustainability and health care industries.

Workshops are open to all students.

• Attend virtual networking events. More info can be found here .
• Use the team formation Google docs to contact people/teams.
  • If you have a health care idea/team and are looking for members to join your team: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DCUkBlW3wRIjoGtMyFKUyULrMDIi9Xx4OKqvvse6gXk/edit#gid=0
  • If you have a sustainability idea/team and are looking for members to join your team: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DCUkBlW3wRIjoGtMyFKUyULrMDIi9Xx4OKqvvse6gXk/edit#gid=456483071
  • If you are a participant and are looking for interesting teams to join: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DCUkBlW3wRIjoGtMyFKUyULrMDIi9Xx4OKqvvse6gXk/edit#gid=1961632291
• Join the Innovation Challenge Slack to interact and mingle with other participants.
• We understand that networking and finding teams/members may be challenging due to COVID-19. We encourage you to participate in virtual networking sessions and reach out to learn more about each other via Slack and the team formation Google docs. 
• Should you need additional help finding a team/member, please do not hesitate to contact Jaymie Park at jaymie.park@anderson.ucla.edu .

• Registration Deadline: Friday, February 5, 2021
• Business Plan Submission Deadline: Friday, February 19, 2021
• Sustainability Final Round: 4/23/2021
• Healthcare Final Round: 4/30/2021

Teams will be evaluated based on the following four criteria:

• Impact: Combined depth and breadth of value created both for firm and society. The team fully explains its structured thought process for identifying market need and societal value add. 
• Innovation: The solution is original, powerful, and differentiated from others. The team conveys evidence using research and demonstrates what makes its solution innovative.
• Feasibility: The solution has a clear pathway to execution. The team has defined concrete next steps to implement the solution and provides ample evidence to prove the solution’s feasibility.
• Persuasion: Clear and compelling written and oral presentations. The team demonstrates vision, passion, and operating credibility to make the venture successful.

Finalist teams advancing to the final round will have an opportunity to meet with industry mentors/advisors to refine their business plans and final pitches. Find the list of participating advisors here. 

Advisors will be drawn from venture capitalists, angel investors, faculty, business executives, entrepreneurs and subject matter experts in healthcare and sustainability. Find the list of participating advisors here. 

A panel of judges will be drawn from venture capitalists, angel investors, faculty, business executives, entrepreneurs and subject matter experts in health care and sustainability.

All members of the presenting team must be present during the presentation, but not all are required to present.

• Presentation: 15 minutes maximum
• Q&A with judges: 10 minutes maximum

The time limit for each presentation will be strictly adhered to (a warning will be given when five minutes remain). Any leftover time will be utilized as the judging panel sees fit.

For more information on UCLA’s IP policies, please visit this page .