Big Bang! is the annual UC Davis Business Plan Competition organized by MBA students of the Graduate School of Management. The goal of the contest is to promote entrepreneurship at UC Davis and the region supported by the University.
Big Bang! provides a year round forum in which UC Davis students, alumni, staff and faculty can collaborate to develop and test their business vision and plans. The competition provides a network of resources for mentorship, team creation, education, networking and financing for these aspiring entrepreneurs.
Many groups and constituencies benefit from the competition, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, venture capitalists, business professionals and local entrepreneurs.
The competition is generously sponsored by local corporations and the venture capital community.
Participating in Big Bang! is an educational experience beginning in October and lasting until May. Interdisciplinary teams use this entire period to develop new ideas (e.g., team members from a variety of technical and business disciplines and/or mentors found in faculty, alumni, and other community professionals).
Timeline And Key Dates
The Big Bang! Competition runs from November until May. The typical timeline is as follows:
- Idea & team Formation
- Join or form a team
- Act as a mentor
- Mid January: Warm-up rounds - Executive summary drafts (optional)
Judges will provide feedback on executive summaries - Mid-February (contest deadline): Executive summaries due
- Early March: Semi-finalists announced
- Early April: Semi-finalists submit a full business plan
- Late April: Finalists announced
- Mid-May: Final presentations
- Mid-May: Winners announced
Big Bang! Workshops
Several workshops are offered to assist you in writing your business plans:
- Business Plan Workshop
- Market & Competitive Analysis
- Financial Planning
- Legal Topics & Intellectual Property Protection