The competition is organized in three phases. Before Phase I applicants must submit applications according to the rules described above. TechnoServe will screen applications for eligibility and completeness.

Phase I: Business Idea Screening and Selection (24^th March - 9^th May 2007)

All eligible applicants will be invited to attend a 2-day entrepreneurship seminar and industry conference in Accra on 2^nd and 3^rd May, 2007. During this phase, judges will evaluate the Business Concept Statement portion of the applications and select the top 60-90 business concepts with the greatest potential for sustained growth. The applicants who submitted the selected business concepts will be invited to attend Phase II of the competition.

Phase II: The Core Programme - Business Management Training, Building a Business Plan and Professional Consulting (4^th June - 27^th July 2007)

The top 60 - 90 entrepreneurs will be invited to attend a seven-week business plan building programme that will include business coursework, business plan development seminars, industry specific topics, weekly one-on-one consulting sessions with a business professional, and networking events. Participants will also have access to technical support, and will receive a business plan manual. Experts in law, finance, accounting, marketing, and other relevant areas will serve as trainers and consultants, and will participate in programme events. Supporting companies and financial institutions will also attend networking events.

The second phase concludes with the submission and evaluation of a 15-20 page draft business plan. Each participant receives feedback on his or her plan. The business plans with the greatest growth potential will be selected, and these entrepreneurs will be invited to continue on to Phase III as finalists.

Phase III: Strengthening and Presenting the Business Plan (11^th August-21^st September 2007)

During phase three, finalists have the opportunity to improve their business plans based on the feedback received at the end of Phase II, and additional seminars on select topics. Each participant continues to work with his or her one-on-one consultant to address weaknesses in the draft business plan. Finalists will also work with their consultants to develop the presentation of their business plans that they will give to a panel of judges. The 20-30 page final business plan will be submitted at the end of this phase. The panel of judges will select winners based on the written final business plans and the oral presentations.

Note on consultants:
While Believe Begin Become organizers will do their best to match participants with consultants who can provide the optimal mix of knowledge and expertise for a given participant, the organizers cannot guarantee that expertise in a specific functional area or sector will be provided to a given participant. Similarly, although organizers will adhere to a careful selection process of consultants, they will not be held responsible for any perceived failings on the part of consultants to guide and advise their allocated participants.

Note on trainings and seminars:
Although participants will have different backgrounds, levels of experience and formal training, all participants are expected to attend the sessions, as discussions amongst participants and sharing of experiences are core components of the programme and its prospective benefits. In addition, although organizers will adhere to a careful selection process of trainers, they will not be held responsible for any perceived failings on the part of trainers to impart information and guide participants through the content of the programme. Training sessions will be held in Accra. Participants will be expected to cover their own transport (with the exception of the stipends detailed on page four of this document), accommodation and food expenses.