| Date | Schedule |
|---|
| January 16 | Big Idea Kickoff; First Business Plan Lab |
| January 17 | Deadline to submit online Intent to Compete Form |
| January 23 | Business Plan Lab: What is a Business Plan? |
| January 30 | Business Plan Lab: Section I of Plan – The Industry, Library Resources to Support Writing the Plan |
| February 6 | Business Plan Lab: Section II of Plan – The Company, Concept, and Product(s) or Service(s) |
| February 13 | Business Plan Lab: Section III of Plan – Market Analysis (aka ‘The Market’) |
| February 20 | Business Plan Lab: More on Section III of Plan – Market Analysis |
| February 21 | Submit Business Model (2-3 pages) - Due by 5:00PM |
| March 6 | Business Plan Lab: Section IV of Plan – The Economics of the Business |
| March 7 | Initial Draft of Business Plan Deadline – Due by 5:00PM |
| March 10-14 | Individual Feedback Meetings on Initial Draft |
| March 13 | Business Plan Lab: Section V of Plan – The Marketing Plan |
| March 20 | Spring Break |
| March 27 | Business Plan Lab: Section VII of Plan – Operations Plan |
| April 3 | Business Plan Lab: Sections VIII – Management Team, IX – Overall Schedule, and X – Critical Risks, Problems, and Assumptions |
| April 10 | Final Wrap-Up |
| April 11 | Final Draft of Business Plan Deadline – Due by 5:00PM |
| April 16 | Top 16 Semi-Finalists Announced |
| April 17-18 | First-Round of Presentation Review for Top 16 Semi-Finalists |
| April 20 | Semi-Finalist Revised Business Plans Due by Noon |
| April 21-23 | Second-Round of Presentation Review for Top 16 Semi-Finalists |
| April 24 | Semi-Finals: Top Sixteen Teams Present |
| April 25 | Finals: Top Four Teams Present |