North of Boston Business Plan Competition Participation Agreement

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. This is a skill-based Competition. Chance plays no part in the determination of winners. Void where prohibited.

Eligibility: The 2019 North of Boston Business Plan Competition (“Competition”) is open to established business owners interested in expanding their businesses and prospective business owners (including but not limited to students and startup founders) who are eighteen (18) years of age or older as set forth at https://enterprisectr.org/2019-business-plan-competition-eligibility-requirements/. All participants must maintain permanent legal residence in the United States. Employees, officers and directors of Salem State Assistance Corporation, DBA The Enterprise Center and other Competition sponsors (collectively the “Sponsors”), and their affiliates and the officers, directors, employees, consultants, and contractors of each (collectively, “Released Parties”), and their immediate family members and spouses (regardless of where they reside) and those living in the same household of each (whether or not related) are not eligible to participate. The Competition is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.

How to Participate: Participants may enter the Competition individually or as part of a team by submitting an Application Form here: [insert hyperlink]. Each participant may serve on only one team or as an individual participant. Each team or individual may submit only one Application Form, however, each participant must agree to the terms of this Participation Agreement as well as the Enterprise Center Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, as set forth in the Application Form. 

There are two Competition phases: (1) an optional “Pitch” phase; and (2) the presentation and judging of business plans submitted by participants. During the Pitch phase, participants will have the opportunity to present their business idea to a panel of coaches and receive feedback prior to presenting their business plan for judging. Participants are NOT required to participate in the Pitch phase in order to participate in the Competition, however, participants must submit materials by required deadlines and participate in one (1) or more scheduled presentations on-site at the Enterprise Center at Salem State University in order to qualify for a prize.

Competition Prizes:

(1) First Prize:  The winner of the Competition will receive $10,000.
(1) Second Prize:  The first runner-up will receive $3,000.
(1) Third Prize:  The second runner-up will receive $2,000.

Prize details not specifically set forth herein are at Sponsors’ sole discretion. Other restrictions may apply.

Conditions:  By entering this Competition, you understand and acknowledge that the Sponsors, and the judges, coaches, and other personnel associated with the Competition, are under no obligation to render any advice or service to any participant, at any stage of the Competition. The views expressed by these individuals are their own and not those of the Sponsors.

The Enterprise Center reserves the right to publicly announce the semi-finalists, invite the public to the final presentations, and announce the winners in North Shore and Boston media and in all North Shore markets.

By entering this Competition, you give your express permission to be contacted by the Sponsors and by telephone, e-mail and/or postal mail for any purpose connected with the Competition.

Released Parties are not responsible for lost, incomplete, illegible, late, damaged, inaccurate, misdirected,  garbled, or undelivered entries or email; miscommunications, failed computer hardware or software or technical failures; printing, typographical or other errors appearing within the Participation Agreement, Terms of Use, or Privacy Policy, in any Competition-related advertisements or other materials; or other errors or problems of any kind relating to or in connection with the Competition, including, without limitation, errors or problems which may occur in connection with the administration of the Competition related to scheduling, the processing of entries, mail or e-mail and/or the announcement of the prize, or any injury or damage to participants’ or any other persons’ computers related to or resulting from participation, or uploading or downloading of any materials related to this Competition. The Competition materials are provided to participants by Sponsors solely to facilitate participation in the Competition on an AS IS basis without warranties of any kind.

License:  By registering to participate in the Competition, you grant to the Sponsors and their respective affiliates and assigns, an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide non-exclusive license to reproduce, distribute, display and create derivative works of your entry, including excerpts from business plans submitted and related presentation materials (“Participant Materials”) in connection with the promotion and administration of the Competition, in any media now or hereafter known, including, but not limited to: Sponsor websites, press releases, email messages, or newsletters. Display or publication of any Participant Materials on a Sponsor’s website does not indicate the participant will be selected as a winner. You agree that Sponsors and their designees shall have the right and permission to use (unless prohibited by law) your name, voice, address (city and state of residence), photograph, biographical information and/or other likeness, for advertising, promotional or any other purpose in any and all media or format now known or hereafter devised throughout the world, in perpetuity, without limitation and without further compensation, consideration, permission or notification to participants or any third parties. 

Limitation of Liability:  By entering this Competition, all participants agree to release, discharge, and hold harmless the Released Parties from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of their participation in this Competition or any Competition-related activities and the acceptance of any prize awarded hereunder. Participants agree that this Competition shall be subject to and governed by the substantive laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The forum for any dispute shall be in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Essex County, Massachusetts. 

You understand that you should not disclose any confidential information, trade secrets or patentable subject matter in your Participant Materials at any stage of the Competition.

You are solely responsible for protecting your rights or the rights of third parties in any intellectual property disclosed in your Participant Materials. You hereby represent and warrant that you have sufficient rights in any third party intellectual property contained in the Participant Materials in order to grant the licenses set forth in this Participation Agreement.

Miscellaneous: No transfer, assignment, or substitution of prize permitted except by Sponsors who may substitute the prize with a prize of comparable or greater value at their sole and absolute discretion. Winners are responsible for all income, federal, state and local taxes as well as any other costs or expenses associated with prize acceptance. All prize winners will be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release within five (5) days of date of prize notification. Non-compliance with any of the foregoing or this Participation Agreement, the inability to contact the potential winner within a reasonable time period, failure to return such documents within the specified time period or attend scheduled Competition events, or the return of the prize as undeliverable may result in disqualification and, time permitting, awarding of the prize to an alternate winner, at Sponsors’ sole discretion, from among all remaining eligible entries. By participating, each entrant agrees to be bound by the terms of this Participation Agreement.

Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to modify, terminate or suspend the Competition (or any portion thereof) for any reason.

Winner’s Name:  For the winner’s names available after [December 6, 2019], send a stamped, self-addressed envelope for receipt by [January 4, 2020]: to The Enterprise Center, 121 Loring Ave, Salem, MA 01970.

Trademarks:  The Enterprise Center and The Enterprise Center logo are trademarks of Salem State Assistance Corporation. Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

Sponsors: Primary Sponsors: Beverly Bank, First Ipswich Bank, The Hall Company, North Shore Alliance for Economic Development and WWLC.  For a complete list of Sponsors click here.

For questions, please contact:

Noreen Hazelton | Assistant Director
nhazelton@enterprisectr.org