Therules.

1. Teams are made up of between one and three people. Entering alone is a normal way to compete, not a handicap.
2. All work and research must be done by a member of the team, and by nobody outside it.
3. During the presentation in the final round, every team member must be presenting on the stage.
4. Teams who compete together split any prize money between them accordingly.

1. The proposal must be a text‑based Word document, with a limit of 1,000 words (+20%) — so 1,200 words is the hard ceiling.
2. You must not copy ideas from existing companies or businesses, or plagiarise ideas from other teams.
3. You are free to use any sources for research and data, but you must cite your data so its accuracy can be checked.
4. Proposals are emailed as an attachment, once only, to jiescalantephilips@perse.co.uk. The deadline is to be confirmed. Late entries are considered only if an appeal is made and accepted.

Round one is marked on creativity, feasibility and profitability. The top ten teams go through to the final.

1. Each team presents for about five minutes, followed by five minutes of questions from the judges. Prepare for the questions; they carry marks of their own.
2. Slides are optional. If you use them, they must be sent in as a PDF two days before the finals, and cannot be changed afterwards. You may also choose to pitch with nothing on screen.
3. You may hold up a physical example of your product, provided it is within the set size and has been shown to the organisers before the event.
4. Pitching order is chosen by the teams themselves, best round‑one ranking first.
5. The pitch is marked out of 50: delivery and stage presence (15), clarity and structure (10), quality of the business idea (10), Q&A response (10), visual aids and timing (5). The presentation is weighted above the idea, because round one has already filtered for strong ideas.
6. All judges have professional experience in business. They confer before deciding, and their decisions are final.

Entrepreneurs in the real world are not limited in the tools available to them, and AI will only matter more in business and innovation. So AI is permitted here — but to keep the competition fair, these rules are enforced strictly.

Originality of ideas

• Every idea in an entry must be solely generated by the entrants.
• AI cannot be used to generate or propose the core idea for a project.

What AI may be used for

• Refining and developing an idea the entrants thought of themselves.
• Market research about the idea — but check what it tells you. Incorrect information will be penalised.
• Help with drafting, editing, or improving how the idea is presented.

How much of it can be AI

• At least three quarters (75%) of all entry material must be written directly by the entrants, without AI.
• AI text may support or enhance your own writing, never replace it, and should be read over and edited before submission.

Declaring it

• All use of AI must be clearly stated and cited in the submission or pitch materials.
• You must identify which tools were used, what for, and which parts of the work they assisted with.
• If asked, you must be able to demonstrate your own understanding of every part of your idea and pitch.
• The final judgement on AI use rests with the judges. Improper use can terminate your entry.

The spirit of it

• The competition rewards originality, creativity and entrepreneurial skill.
• Treat AI as an assistant. The innovation, the insight and the drive have to come from you.

1. A team will be disqualified if they violate any rule in this document.
2. Where a breach is suspected, the organisers will conduct a review. If it concerns AI or plagiarism, the team may be asked to provide proof of their work — so keep your drafts and notes.

1. The winning team or individual receives £1,000.
2. Second and third place prizes are planned and yet to be confirmed.
3. Teams who compete together split the prize money between them accordingly.
4. The prize, the food and the refreshments are funded by our sponsors — Adder Technology, Vindis Group and Parry & Parry — none of whom has any say in the judging.

By submitting an entry to the Dr Perse Innovation Award, all team members acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to abide by the rules set out here.

Questions about the rules, or about scoring, go to jiescalantephilips@perse.co.uk. Asking is never held against you.