COVID-19 Business Startup Challenge

2020 has been a challenging year for most fresh graduates as well as new business startups.  Employment opportunities and market growths have suddenly disappeared with no concrete signs of improvement. Today, more than two thirds of all youth globally communicate through Instagram, Telegram, TikTok, Twitter and WeChat daily. The potential for social media to be harnessed as a positive power for social good – transform our societies and lives, not only for ourselves but for the generations to come, is immense.

The DIYC Movement has been reaching out to youth from the ASEAN region and all over the world, to create awareness for and empower youths to embrace diversity and practice inclusion for the past 10 years.

The DIYC Movement, as a diversity and inclusion movement by the youth, wants to empower youths to take control of their own destiny with the launch of the “COVID-19 Business Startup Challenge” (the Challenge). Winners of the Challenge will stand to receive startup funding of up to MYR 100,000.

What is the Challenge?

Calling all young creative thinkers with bright ideas!!!

The DIYC Movement therefore wishes to empower youths to create an online social media platform similar to the social media platforms that have energized the campaigns of Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, to promote the DIYC Movement.

Participating teams will be required to come up with a pitch and a proof of concept for a Social Media Campaign Strategy and Platform that promotes the DIYC Movement. They will have to showcase a compelling business model and value proposition that satisfies the following criteria below.

Group of young people men and women with many ideas light bulbs above head looking up.

What Are We Looking For?

Fun, creative and viral!

Group of business people screaming in megaphones at a confused woman with multiple credit cards

Wide Outreach

It can reach out to and garner a substantial number of organic followers/subscribers/members for the DIYC Movement within the stipulated timeframe.

Social network concept.globalization business.

Effective Delivery

It can achieve its objective effectively by deploying a winning strategy and with a prudent usage of resources.

Young business team receiving award prize at best business project competition event. Business and entrepreneurship award ceremony theme. Focus on unrecognizable people in audience.

Sustainable

It can be sustained beyond the Challenge period by remaining relevant and scalable.

The Award

Our esteemed panel of judges will be judging all teams and their proposals based on the three expectations, so make sure you keep these in mind when developing your ideas! The winning team(s) able to best meet the criteria will receive up to MYR 100,000 in funding for their Social Media Business to execute its concept.

Are you Ready to Start?

Submit your ideas now!

meeting of friends with face masks returning to new normal
portrait of young student using tablet pc in cafe with friends
Teleconference during work from home due to coronavirus covid pandemic. Webcam pc screen views during group video call shows people participated in online meeting, new normal

Click on the each tab below to find out more!

Registration

Deadline: 31 January, 2021

Interested in participating in the Challenge? Submit your interest to participate in the Challenge by registering using the link below.  Remember to check all your information and details as our initial screening will be based on this information you submit!

  • You must sign up as a Team. A self-appointed Team Leader must register on behalf of your team
    • Only the Team Leader must complete the registration on behalf of the Team
    • Additional registrations of the same Team by more than one Team member may result in disqualification
    • Each Team must comprise at least three (3) and no more than five (5) Team members.
    • You are not allowed to be on more than one Team for the Challenge
    • Teams demonstrating diversity and inclusion in their makeup will be given extra credit by the Judging Panel.
  • All Team members must fulfil the following Eligibility Criteria:
    • Preference will be given to Teams comprising students of education institutes in Malaysia
    • Be between eighteen (18) and thirty-five (35) [inclusive] years of age
    • If a member of any Team is found to be ineligible, the entire Team may be disqualified from the Challenge. However, the Organiser may grant leave for the Team to proceed with the Challenge without the ineligible member.
  • All registrations for the Challenge must be made via https://diycx.org/diyc_business_ebiz_challenge/ (the “Site”). Any attempts to register via other methods will be rejected.
  • Team Leaders will receive an email within five (5) working days via their registered email address confirming their Team’s registration. The email will also attach the Submission Form required for the next stage.

Pitch Submission

 

Deadline: 10 February, 2021

You are now ready to submit your Pitch!  Remember, the pitch must have the following features: wide outreach, effective delivery and sustainable!

The Submission Form comprises two components – (1) Written Pitch; and (2) Team Formation details

    • Both components must be completed upon submission by the Deadline stipulated above. Incomplete submissions or failure to submit by the Deadline will result in immediate disqualification.
    • Submission of the Form will be via email to the email address from which they received the Application Form. Proof of submission is not proof of receipt.
    • You may expect to receive an acknowledgment of receipt from the Organiser within five (5) working days of your submission email. It is your responsibility to follow up with the Organiser if you do not receive an acknowledgement.
    • It is your responsibility to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the Submission Form. Any requests to amend an Submission Form that has already been submitted will be denied. Incomplete Submission may be disqualified.
  • The Written Pitch
    • Using the DIYC Movement as the “Product”, submit a compelling Written Pitch for promoting the DIYC Movement along the following guidelines (these are guidelines recommended by the Organiser, but you may opt to draft independent of the guidelines).  More information can be found in the Submission Guide.
      • Problem statement
      • The proposed solution
      • Execution strategy
      • Team Profile
      • Proposed Key Performance Indicators and Project Milestones
      • Financials
  • Team Formation Details
      • All Team members must complete an The Team Formation Details Form
      • All Team members must submit a Curriculum Vitae together with the as part of the Team Formation Details
      • Failure to provide complete or accurate information will result in the disqualification of the respective Team member or the entire Team.

Finals Selection

 

 

 

Final Team Announcement: 28 February, 2021

The panel of Judges will review all the entries that has been submitted and will shorlist the teams for the Pitch Submission.

  • Finalists will be selected based on their Written Pitch and Team Formation by the Panel of Judges using the Judging Criteria.
  • Finalists will be contacted by the Organiser to inform them that they are through to the Finals.
  • Finalists will be invited to attend an Online Briefing Session where they will be briefed on the requirements of the Finals, including the commencement of work on a Proof of Concept (“POC”).
  • Finalists will also be assigned a Mentor/Coach to facilitate their preparation of the POC as well as for the Presentation during the Finals.
  • The selection of the Finalists shall be at the sole and absolute discretion of the Organiser and all Teams agree to abide by the Organiser’s decision. Teams who have not been selected for the Finals have absolutely no right of appeal and any attempts to do so will not be entertained.

The Pitch

 

 

Between 5 April – 12 April, 2021

Get ready to pitch your proposal! Shortlisted proposals will be invited to pitch their proposal to an esteemed panel of judges. This is your opportunity to present your ideas and win the Challenge!

Be prepared! The Pitch comprises two components – (1) Video Presentation; and (2) Live Q&A Sessions

  • Video Presentation & Report Submission [Deadline for Submission:  5 April, 2021, 23:59 MYT (UTC +8)]
    • Finalists will present their Proposed Solution and demonstrate their POC/Mock-up/Prototype via a recorded Pitch Presentation (the “Video Presentation”). The Video Presentation must not exceed fifteen (15) minutes in total. Footage exceeding 15-minutes will have only the first 15-minutes assessed and the remainder will be disregarded by the Panel of Judges.
    • Finalists will be required to prepare a Report on how their POC/Mock-up/Prototype fulfils the Judging Criteria.
    • Both the Video Presentation and Report have to be submitted by the aforementioned Deadline via email. The email submission should include the Report and the Video Presentation File (unless the video file is too big to be sent). Teams must also upload the Video Presentation onto a Dropbox folder that will be provided to them.
    • Failure to adhere to the Deadline will result in disqualification. Any requests to amend the Report or Video Presentation after the Deadline will not be entertained.

 

  • Live Q&A Session with Panel of Judges [Assigned timeslots on 12 April, 2021]
    • Finalists will be assigned a timeslot for their Q&A Session at random by the Organiser by 8 April 2021. Finalists are not allowed to change their assigned timeslot unless they are able to provide compelling reasons for re-assignment, provided that they inform the Organiser by 10 April 2021.
    • The Live Q&A Session will be conducted virtually and be recorded for the Awards Event.
    • Finalists will be required to answer questions from the Panel of Judges and may be asked to conduct a live demonstration of their POC/Mock-up/Prototype.
    • After hearing the presentations of all Finalists, the Award Winner/Winners will be selected by the Panel of Judges using the Judging Criteria.

The Award(s)

 

 

 

 

 Award Date: 14 April, 2021

Congratulations to the winning team(s)!  You are now ready to form your company and make a difference to the community.

Awards Event

  • There will be a virtual live “Awards Event” hosted on a social media channel where the Award Winner/Winners will be announced.
  • The Winner(s) will be selected by the Panel of Judges using the Judging Criteria to assess each Team’s Video Presentation, Report and Q&A Session performance.
  • The Organiser will showcase the Video Presentations of all Finalists and the winning team(s) on the Site and/or its social media channels.
  • The Award Winner/Winners will be formally awarded the Prize Money as seed funding for their business

 

Startup Journey Begins [within 21 days from winning the Award]

  • Award Winners must begin their Startup/Business journey within twenty-one [21] days of winning the Award.  Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of the Award.
  • Award Winners will attend a DIYC Startup Mentorship Program and will have the program fees waived.
  • During the Mentorship Program, Award Winners will finetune their Business and draft a roadmap of milestones for their startup, where the attainment of each milestone will allow them to draw the relevant portion from the Prize Money. The Organiser has the sole and ultimate discretion of approving the roadmap of milestones for disbursing the Prize Money and the winning Team(s) agree to abide by the Organiser’s decision.
  • The new startup will be given its first project – the DIYC Movement, with the Organiser as its client, to kickstart its business.
  • The DIYC Startup Mentorship Program will continue to guide the Award winners throughout their startup Journey.

Registration for the COVID-19 Business Startup Challenge has closed

Any questions? Please send them to startupchallenge@diycx.org.