Prior to the competition days, each team has to prepare multiple assignments. One of these is included in the official judging and composes 25% of the team’s total score. Below you will see all the assignments of the competition.
Each team has to write a whitepaper of maximum 5 pages, related to the theme of the competition. These papers will be assessed by the jury members prior to the competition days. Each Business Jury member will receive approximately 3 whitepapers of different teams (anonymously) and grade them from 0-100. Each whitepaper will be reviewed by a minimum of 3 Business Jury members.
In addition to the official pre-assignment, each team has to prepare an Instagram reel (max 30 seconds). Moreover, the teams have to create a poster with their team name, logo, motto, and photo. Also two individual assignments are requested. Each team member has to fill out a behavioural scan and complete their profile for the EMCup App. These assignments are not included in the official grading, but will play an important role throughout the programme.
The competition days are a mix of networking and competing. Students get to speak to the business jury and to each other. During the competition, they pitch their ideas and compete for first place. In the end, the main aim of these days and the competition is to create a lasting network and get the best out of yourself.
Each team pitches the findings of their Whitepaper (assignment 1A) during a pitch of maximum 3 minutes, in front of the business jury. Each team is divided into a jury room, together with 3 or 4 other teams, and has to convince the Business Jury about their Whitepaper.
Each team receives a case to solve, related to the theme of the competition. After preparing their presentation, they are pitching their findings in front of the Business Jury on which they receive immediate feedback.
With the received feedback from Case Pitch 1, the students get some time to adjust their pitch before they present their ideas once more to the Business Jury. Here, they get graded one more time on their Case Pitch. Based on the grading of assignment 1 and 2, the finalists will advance to the Dragon’s Den. The finalists will receive feedback once more which the finalists can use in their final assignment.
Each year Ecolab sponsors a unique prize for the team who has the best vision on sustainability, included in their case. The Business Jury will assess you, throughout your Case Pitches, on this ‘sustainability criteria’.
After Assignment 2B, the teams with the best scores will go head-to-head in a Final Assignment & Pitch, Dragons’ Den style. The scores of Assignment 1 and 2 will make up 50% of the total final score. The score of the Final Assignment, judged by the Dragons and the whole audience, makes up the other 50%, which then determines the winner of the EMCUP!
For the Dragons’ Den, the teams have to prepare a 3-minute pitch to present their business plan and a visual aid to support their pitch. Each team member should have an active role in the pitch and should know in-depth information about the business plan, as there will be “critical questions” asked by the Dragons afterwards.
