FAQs About the YES Fund Competition

1. Can I submit a business plan for any country?
   
   For the YES Fund Global Business Plan Competition, we shall accept only viable business plans for a developing countries. This means that you must be engaged in business--that is, start up a new business or expand an already established business--in a developing country. For the Pilot Project Phase, YES Fund will organize a Business Plan Competition that will be open to youth from India and Kenya. This competition will be for business plans in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
   
   
2. Is the Business Plan Competition open to nationals of developed countries?
   
   The YES Fund Competition is open only to youth from developing countries. The first Business Plan Competition will be open to budding young entrepreneurs from India and Kenya, where YES Networks are operational.
   
   
3. What is the age criterion for applying?
   
   Entrepreneurs in the age group of 18–35 years can apply for the ICT Business Plan Competition.
   
   
4. Can a person who does not have very good language skills apply? How?
   
   Please note that business plans will be assessed mainly on their content, and not on the correctness of their English. To write a business plan, one can take the support of someone who can write good simple English.
   
   
5. Is the YES Fund Business Plan Competition open to entrepreneurs with an established business?
   
   YES Fund Competition for Startup and Established Businesses. The YES Fund Competetion is open to both established and start-up business. As established business is one that has generates sales over the past year and focuses on the expassion of business. A start-up business is one that has not yet generated sales and focuses on creating a new business.
   
   
6. I have a business plan for manufacturing food products. Can I apply?
   
   For the YES Fund pilot competition, we shall accept only those business plans which pertain to the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector. The YES Fund Competition is open only to young entrepreneurs in India and Kenya, where YES Networks are operational.
   
   
7. How can I send you my business plan? Can I submit it by fax or by post?
   
   Business plans are to be submitted only through the website. The applicant will first have to become a part of the YES Fund Network--an online community for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) development in developing countries. We shall not accept business plans received by fax or post.
   
   
8. How can I be sure that my plan is ‘safe’ with the YES Fund?
   
   The YES Fund Network members--the jury members, screeners, coaches, and other members of the organization--declare absolute confidentiality with regard to the documents submitted by our participants by signing a mandatory confidentiality agreement.
   
   
9. What range of investment is allowed for the proposed business plans?
   
   Your start-up investment required in US $3,000- US $ 10,000
   
   
10. Can we apply as a team?
    
    Teams can submit their business plans, but the plan should be submitted on a single person. For this, you shall have to choose one member from your team to submit and represent the plan. The person selected should be the one who would really execute the plan. After submitting the plan, the chosen team member can then introduce the other people in the team as co-authors/co-members of the plan. Please note that these co-partner would also need to create their profile on the YES Fund Network.
    
    
11. How can I add a partner, co-writer, or a reference to my plan?
    
    It is impartant to note that is is not possible to become a partner without having a complete and up-to-date profile on the YES Fund Network. A properly updated profile will ensure that...(1). you will be easily found in the YES Fund Network and (2) your plan (and with it, it's co-partners) will appear professional to screeners and potential coaches and investors. So, please make sure that all partners you add to your application from have a complete profile.
    
    
12. Will I be eligible to apply if my business is supported by an NGO?
    
    Businesses that are established by or with the support of a non-profit organization are not eligible to apply. The best YES Fund Competition plans are ones with a clear profit motive and a development impact.
    
    
13. Are there any guidelines for using the award money that an entrepreneur wins?
    
    The Award Money must be used for a pilot or to start up your business. The money can also be used to expand already established businesses. It is important to note that the award money would be disbursed in phases, based on the progress of the business, which shall be monitored and evaluated.
    
    
14. What happens to the non-finalist participants?
    
    The YES Fund Competition is part of the YES Campaign Network. It offers a platform where entrepreneurs, investors, experts, organizations, and participants can meet and share their ideas and resources. Participants who are not selected by the YES Fund Competition Jury can continue to work on their plans through the YES Fund Network. Moreover, they will be made visible to potential coaches, experts, partners, and/or investors during the Competition.
    
    
15. On what conditions could my plan be excluded from the competition?
    
    For details on the rules of exclusion, please read the conditions of inclusion and exclusion in the rules and guidelines for the Business Plan Competition.
    
    
16. How are the submitted business plans assessed?
    
    You can read all about the criteria for selecting entrepreneurs in the assessment criteria for selection of entrepreneurs.
    
    
17. How do I fill in the figure boxes of my business plan?
    
    When entering a figure like US $ 3,000, you must only enter the digits (in this case, 3000). The box does not recognize the signs US $, commas (,), dots (.), etc. It only recognizes the numbers 0-9. In any case, all figures required from participants are in terms of US$, so there is no need for you to specify this again.
    
    
    
18. How can I contact the YES Campaign Network for specific queries?
    
    You can e-mail your queries to us at yesfund@yesweb.org or call us at
    +91-(11)-43560208/9.