WHO CAN PARTICIPATE

Participants include:

• UMa students currently enrolled;
• Graduates of any degree from UMa;
• UMa faculty or other individuals (who, by this fact, are barred from being part of the jury responsible for evaluating proposals), provided they are part of teams consisting of students and/or graduates.

NATIONAL CONTEST

The amounts for the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd National Prizes are:

• 1^st Prize (Conselho Coordenador dos Institutos Superiores Politécnicos): €10,000
• 2^nd Prize (Santander): €5000
• 3^rd Prize (Ordem dos Contabilistas Certificados): €3000
• Innovation Prize (Grupo Nabeiro): €2500
• Internationalization Prize (Grupo Nabeiro): €1500

The national prizes are provided in two installments. The first corresponds to 50% of the total amount, given at the public closing ceremony of the contest. The remaining 50% is awarded upon presentation of proof of business activity commencement, confirming the implementation of the project.

BUSINESS IDEA PRESENTATION

One of the goals of Poliempreende is to prepare students for creating their own business/company. This document aims to provide some guidelines/suggestions to facilitate the preparation of the presentation and establish a guiding line for them.

GENERAL NOTES

1. The presentation must not exceed 7 minutes. The time will be monitored, and at 6 minutes and 30 seconds, students will receive a signal. At 7 minutes, groups that have not yet finished will be interrupted, but they can finish their current sentence. An additional 5 minutes are reserved for questions. Besides these 12 minutes, there are 3 additional minutes for the transition between groups. Presentations will be timed with a visible countdown for the teams, ensuring adherence to the time limits by both presenters and evaluators.
2. Presentations should be submitted via the e.poliempreende platform (https://projetos.e.poliempreende.com/#/login) by July 31, 2024, and a copy should be sent to poliempreendemadeira@gmail.com.
3. It is suggested that presentations have no more than 10 slides. Thus, the ability to synthesize and select the most important elements of the project is crucial for good performance.
4. The presentation should be well-prepared, pleasant, and readable.
5. It is recommended to practice the presentation in advance to ensure the best possible performance.

PRESENTATION CONTENT

Regardless of the chosen business areas, it is advisable to mention some aspects such as:

1. What are the product(s) and/or service(s) to be provided?
2. What problem/need does this product and/or service address? What opportunity led to the creation of the product/service?
3. Clearly identify the customer by specifying the target customer, i.e., who has this problem/need.
4. What is the value proposition, meaning what makes this product and/or service unique? Why would the identified customer buy this product and/or service from your company instead of the competition?
5. Who are the direct and indirect competitors?
6. What is the project management team, and how will the tasks be distributed? The names should be the team members, though the listed skills may or may not correspond to the current reality, as long as they contribute and make sense for the project’s implementation.
7. Explain the transition from idea to practice, i.e., how the project would be implemented the next day if it were to be put into action.
8. What is the business model? In other words, how will you make money?
9. What are the financial estimates for the first years of activity?

These should be presented very briefly and include the following information:

• Expenses
• Revenues
• Annual results (profit/loss)
• Investment
• Debt recovery period
• Project financing method

MOST COMMON MISTAKES

1. Not preparing the presentation in advance.
2. Lack of ability to synthesize the data to be provided, taking longer than allowed.
3. Excessive focus on the technological part or project details.
4. Lack of precision in defining the target customer, the value proposed by the company, and identifying the competition.
5. Not addressing the requirements requested and fundamental for the jury’s evaluation.

BEST PRACTICES

1. Learn from the work execution for future personal and professional development.
2. Execute the presentation within the allowed time.
3. Pay attention to various formal aspects of the presentation: synthesis ability, clarity, etc.
4. Develop teamwork skills to the fullest.
5. Seek support and take advantage of suggestions.
6. Enjoy and make the most of the work developed.

EVALUATION

Final Evaluation = Average of jury evaluation

The evaluation will be obtained by the arithmetic average of all jury evaluations. In case of a tie, the Jury President—a representative member of the University of Madeira—will have the tie-breaking decision, which is binding.

The individual evaluation of each jury member will be based on a scale of 0 to 20 points according to the following criteria:

1. Quality of the presentation—clarity in speech and harmony in oral presentation, ability to select the business’s fundamental aspects, and convey essential ideas.
2. Analysis of the project’s technical quality:
   • Product(s) and/or service(s)
   • Existing problem/need in the market
   • Target customer
   • Value proposition, i.e., what makes this product and/or service unique
   • Competition—direct and indirect
   • Necessary team for project operation
   • Business model
   • Financial variables

1. Degree of innovation/differentiation of the presented idea

FINAL PRESENTATION

After weeks of work, teams should be ready to present the entire work plan. The final presentation will be made before a jury that will select and reward the teams with the most promising ideas.

Presentations: 7 minutes pitch + 5 minutes Q&A + 3 minutes transition between teams.

1. Starting Point
   • Problem: What is the identified problem or opportunity? What is the market gap?
   • Market: What is the market? Characterization and market size?
   • Competition: Who are the competitors? What goods/services are offered by the competition?
2. Solution
   • Target: Who is the target audience for the product/service? Who are you creating value for? Who are the most important customers?
   • Value Propositions: The value proposition is the tangible result customers will have by acquiring the product or service. What is the added value for the customer? What problem/need does the idea solve or satisfy?
3. Do it!
   • Product/Service: What am I selling?
   • Price: What is each unit sold worth? How much is the customer willing to pay?
   • Promotion/Communication: How to get the information to our target audience? What is the message I intend to convey?
   • Distribution: How to get the product/service to the customer?
4. Team
   • What makes a team unique? It is crucial to demonstrate that the team has the necessary talent for the development of the business idea! To achieve success, you must gather compatible talents!
   • What is the individual contribution to the team’s success?
   • What are the accumulated experiences?
   • How do your various talents complement each other?
5. Future
   • Future Goals and Perspectives: How far can the team go? What steps are you ready to take?
   • Necessary investments/financing: How much is needed to implement the business idea? Where to apply the capital (advertising, servers, facilities, equipment)? How to obtain the necessary value to finance the idea?

PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

9:30 a.m. — Team 1

9:45 a.m. — Team 2

10 a.m. — Team 3

10:15 a.m. — Team 4

10:30 a.m. — Team 5

10:45 a.m. — Team 6

11 a.m. — Coffee break

11:15 a.m. — Team 7

11:30 a.m. — Team 8

11:45 a.m. — Team 9

12 p.m. — Team 10

12:15 p.m. — Team 11

12:30 p.m. — Lunch

2:30 p.m. — Team 12

2:45 p.m. — Team 13

3 p.m. — Team 14

3:15 p.m. — Team 15

3:30 p.m. — Team 16

3:45 p.m. — Team 17

4 p.m. — Coffee break

4:15 p.m. — Team 18

4:30 p.m. — Team 19

4:45 p.m. — Team 20

5 p.m. — Team 21

5:15 p.m. — Team 22

FIRST DAY (SEPTEMBER 2)

SECOND DAY (SEPTEMBER 3)

THIRD DAY (SEPTEMBER 4)

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel do Carmo Promo Code: SEASUP24

HOW TO GET THERE

ABOUT FUNCHAL

As the capital of the Autonomous Region of Madeira and situated on the south coast of the island, in a beautiful bay bearing the same name, Funchal received its first charter in the mid-15th century, with its name originating from “funcho,” a common aromatic herb in this region.

Rich in history, cosmopolitan, and with a fantastic life of its own, Funchal has much to see and admire today, starting with the historic cores of its parishes such as São Pedro, Santa Maria, or Sé, which invite pleasant strolls. Funchal also offers a strong cultural component, encompassing museums and cultural spaces of equal interest.

Not to be missed is the Mercado dos Lavradores, where the flavors and aromas of fruits and flowers blend with the usual hustle and bustle of a market.

Known as a “garden by the sea,” Funchal boasts green spaces such as the Botanical Garden or the Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro Garden, both featuring plants from all corners of the world.

There’s nothing like a cable car ride to better appreciate the beauty of the city and its surroundings, with the option to take the cable car connecting Monte to the Botanical Garden or the city center. Once in Monte, a ride in the “basket car” is a must.

Back in the city center, you can stroll through Funchal Marina and take the opportunity to admire the sailboats and, further ahead, the cruise ships from various destinations.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MADEIRA (UMa)

UMa aims to find suitable solutions within a framework of responsibility, equity, and sustainability, contributing to the development and affirmation of Madeira and the country in a globalized and dynamic world.

UMa pursues activities of scientific research, promoting the dissemination and social and economic valorization of knowledge and technological innovation. It ensures human formation at the highest level, in its cultural, scientific, artistic, technical, and professional aspects, offering cycles of studies leading to academic degrees, CTeSP, and other non-degree courses. It seeks to prepare its students for the challenges of global society and lifelong learning, imparting scientific knowledge, technical competence, and cross-disciplinary education.

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