Rules

Elegibility

Registration and participation in InnovAction’s business training components, including BOOT Camp, is available to everyone at no cost. In order to compete in InnovAction and be eligible to win, competing teams (“Teams”) must meet the following criteria:

1. Be composed of a minimum of one and a maximum of ten young people.

2. Register a profile (“Team Profile”) on the website, www.ticamericas.net/innova/en (“Website”) by February 28, 2021, including the following information:

a. Names, detailed information, and photos of all team members (“Team Members”).

b. Team name.

c. Business plan summary – to be made publicly available.

d. Contact information.

e. Website and social media accounts, if available.

3. Establish/assign leadership roles[1], including:

a. Chief Executive Officer – Team lead and main decision maker and contact for InnovAction. If a Team consists of only one Team Member, she/he must be the CEO.

b. Chief Financial Officer – Responsible for the budget and all financial operations.

c. Chief Technical Officer – Manage operations and day-to-day activities of the business.

d. Volunteer Mentor(s) (Optional) – Provide guidance and advice to the Team. See “Mentors”.

4. Represent citizens or legal residents of active voting members of the OAS[2]. Multinational Teams may compete. Multinational teams shall register under the country of nationality or country of permanent residence of the CEO.

5. Operate or plan to operate a business in one of the active voting members of the OAS and be capable of formally registering the business in that country[3]. Formal business registration at the time of the competition is not an eligibility requirement and does not affect scoring.

6. Submit completed competition materials (“Competition Materials”), in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese, to one of the competition categories (see B. Categories) by February 28, 2021. Competition Materials include the following three components:

a. A completed business plan form (“Business Plan”) as provided here. Teams who present their Business Plan in any other format will be disqualified.

b. A visual portfolio (“Portfolio”), including evidence of activity or initiatives such as photos, videos, newsletters, songs, comics, or artistic expressions.

c. An online presence (“Web presence”), such as a website, blog, Facebook page, Instagram channel, YouTube channel/video, etc.

The following individuals are not eligible to register or compete in InnovAction:

  • YABT Staff and members of its national chapters;
  • YABT officials and members of its Board of Directors;
  • InnovAction judges;
  • IAF staff, contractors, and members of its Board of Directors and Advisory Council;
  • Organization of American States’ General Secretariat personnel; and
  • Immediate family or households members of anyone mentioned above.

[1] One team member may hold multiple leadership positions.

[2]OAS Member States: http://www.oas.org/en/member_states/default.asp.

[3] Funding will not be directed towards businesses operating in Venezuela or Cuba.