Entrepreneur Advantage Project

Funding Details

The objective of the new ASU Entrepreneur Advantage Project (EAP) Funding is to provide students - including those without previous entrepreneurial experience and those who have not taken business courses - an opportunity to turn great ideas into action. The funding, provided by the Kauffman Foundation, is for a maximum of $2,000 per project and up to 10 awards will be given. Other key facts:

  • This is a new program at ASU
  • Differs from the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative (which awards up to $20K)
  • Project office space may be available

General EAP Grants (Including, but not limited to):

  • Community service project
  • Artistic exhibit
  • Product prototype
  • In addition to standard awards of $2,000, the two most promising proposals will be awarded a larger grant of $5,000 plus office space at Skysong.
  • Download the General EAP application to apply
  • Deadline for application submission is April 1, 2008

Information Session:

To learn more details about the General EAP grant program attend an information session

  • Downtown campus February 25, 2008 Time noon-1pm Location TBA
  • Polytechnic campus February 26, 2008 Time 10am-2pm Student Union
  • West campus February 27, 2008 Time 10am-2pm Fletcher Lawn
  • Tempe campus February 28, 2008 Time 10am-2pm Hayden Lawn
  • Skysong February 29, 2008 Time 2pm-3pm speaker TBA

Project Eligibility Guidelines:

  • Entrepreneur Advantage Project Funding supports student-led projects.
  • The project leader should be in good standing with ASU and enrolled in at least one-three hour course at ASU.

Official Rules and Submission Requirements

ASU recognizes that no set of rules, no matter how thorough or carefully developed can ever cover all circumstances. However, all projects are expected to abide by specific rules provided below. ASU reserves the right to disqualify any project that violates the rules, regulations or the spirit of the program.

Submit your New Project Concept paper

  • Suggested 3-5 pages in length
  • Four (4) hard copies of the New Project Concept Proposal
  • 3 of the copies should be bound and 1 copy should be stapled/clipped and NOT bound. Three ring binders or folders are not acceptable.
  • The project application form must be the cover on all hard copies. This means it should be the very first page viewed at the top, and should precede your proposals cover page.
  • Hard copies are to be delivered to the Entrepreneur Advantage Project, Attn: Jessica Groeneveld, 699 S. Mill Ave, 6th floor, Room 608, Tempe, AZ 85281.

Use of Funds

Funds may be used for expenses that successfully advance the project. The list of "eligible expenses" below is intended as a guideline, however do not consider it a comprehensive list. The judges reserve the right to decide whether or not the expenses are acceptable for use of EAP funds.

Eligible expenses include funding for:

  • Education, conferences, seminars
  • Materials/supplies
  • Building of prototypes
  • Market research studies
  • Marketing/sales of service or product
  • Specialized equipment/software/databases in direct advancement of venture
  • Scientific validation of concept (e.g. animal studies, computer modeling, etc.)
  • Legal expenses such as trademark or patent applications

Funds may NOT be used for:

  • Tuition, textbooks or any other similar expense that students would incur even if they did not participate in the program.
  • Business meals and/or entertainment
  • Personal computers
  • General business mentors
  • Salaries for employee

Judging Criteria

The New Venture Concept Proposals will be judged utilizing the criteria below.

Project concept
Marketing strategy
Project leader(s) information
Budget/uses of funds
Economic/social/cultural impact
Written presentation and style

Key questions for project concept:

  • Is the project's strategy likely to solve the need/problem it seeks to address?
  • Will the proposed activities lead to the advancement of the project's stated purpose?

Key question for marketing strategy:

  • Does the project propose a reasonable strategy to provide products/services to the market?

Key question for project leader(s) information:

  • Does the project(s) leader have, or is the project leader(s) likely to acquire, the necessary skills/experience to carry out the proposed activities?

Key questions for budget:

  • Does the project’s budget reflect an understanding of the true costs of carrying out the proposed activities?
  • Are there any other sources of support to carry out the project?

Key question for economic/social/cultural impact:

  • If the project is successful, what type of impact will it have?

Key question for written presentation and style:

  • Is the project proposal well-written, clear and consistent between sections?
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