AI & Entrepreneurship Challenge: Guidelines - Organisers and Selection Committees

Organisers agree to: 

• Promote the competition among students and relevant departments and research centers
• Create a selection committee (5 members made up of cross-departmental faculty members, including, for instance, DSI, Business School, SEAS, SIPA, representatives from the tech industry…) who will:
  • Review all applications from your institution
  • Select up to 5 projects for interview round (Evaluation criteria available below)
  • Interview candidates and select finalist
• Designate committee member for the Cannes selection

Applications review and Selection process: 

The competition will be in three stages: 

1. Written application. Each team will send a written application to the AI Entrepreneurship selection committee within their institution. The application will include the name of the project, the names and CVs of team members, a detailed project description, a list of expected outputs and outcomes, a list of partners, a timeline, a budget and an executive summary.
2. Pitch/Interview. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to pitch their project to their institution’s AI Entrepreneurship selection committee.
   1. A 10minute presentation with deck
   2. All team members can present or have a designated presenter
   3. 10min round of QandA 

Please note, selection committee members should prepare feedback for the teams, shared with the finalist before the pitch in Cannes. 

3. Each of the four institutions will select one team to represent them at the Cannes AI festival (February 10th and 11th, 2027). Each team will pitch their project to an independent panel in front of an audience. The winning team will be awarded a cash prize of $30,000 (TBD). In addition, each of the four teams will be offered mentorship sessions with successful industry leaders and entrepreneurs who will offer them the chance to test their ideas, benefit from expert advice and strengthen their proof of concept.

Each team will present a startup project that mobilizes AI to create solutions to societal challenges with a view to the common good. The entrepreneurship proposals leverage AI in their conception, development, or execution. The selection committee should look at: 

• If and how the project can benefit society in a wide range of areas: from medicine to transport, from law to engineering, from teaching and education to art and creativity.
• Project to be developed in English

Evaluation criteria

• Project’s anticipated impact and contribution to the common good: 25%
• Project’s viability (demonstrated expertise in fundraising from high net
• worth individuals and/or expertise in selling advertising): 25%
• Well thought-out concept and implementation strategy;
  • bonus for a prototype or demo: 20%
• Compelling, credible and polished presentation: 20%
• Originality of the idea and marketability: 10%

Please note, the themes we have suggested to students are available here. They are to serve as inspiration. Anything outside of these categories is welcome.