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APPLY. ADVANCE. AWARD. ACHIEVE.ARIZONA INNOVATION CHALLENGE STAGES

每个亚利桑那创新挑战赛都是高度竞争的，分为三个阶段进行. Awarded companies matriculate into the Venture Ready Accelerator, where they can receive up to $150,000 in non-dilutive funding.

FIRST ROUND

All ventures must download and complete an application and financial model template ，并将文件上传到亚利桑那州商务管理局的创新网络(ACA in)。. 这是亚利桑那州创业生态系统的一站式商店，集中了教育, mentorship, programming, 活动和资源，并将用于管理AIC. The application window will remain open for up to four weeks.

 

第一轮提交的作品将由亚利桑那州商界的专家进行资格筛选和评判. ACA在就公司是否有资格或能力继续在AIC工作做出最终决定时拥有完全的自由裁量权. Judges will assess the applications over about a month.

 

一旦所有的申请都被审查，申请人可以查看法官的反馈 Arizona Innovation Network. Applications that did not meet eligibility criteria, or may not have been deemed competitive enough to successfully continue, will be notified.

 

Note: ACA旨在尊重公司承诺参与亚利桑那州创新挑战赛的时间和精力. 反过来，我们希望申请人尊重主持AIC所需的时间和资源. Upon applying, applicants should intend to complete all phases of the AIC. However, 一家公司是否应该选择不参加下一轮的AIC或Venture Ready加速器, 公司代表应立即通知ACA创新团队, providing judges ample time to consider a replacement company.

SEMIFINALIST ROUND

评委将选出最多25家公司进入AIC的半决赛. 进入半决赛的公司将有机会根据评委的反馈或自首次提交以来业务发生的任何重大变化更新其第一轮申请材料.

 

Additionally, the ACA will ask semifinalists to submit additional application materials, 包括对第一轮反馈的书面回应和投资者推介. ACA将直接向符合条件的公司通报半决赛申请流程的具体情况. 半决赛选手将有一到两周的时间提交所需材料.

 

评委们将在三周的时间内评估半决赛选手的参赛作品，并选出15家公司进入AIC的最后一轮.

FINALIST ROUND

In the final round of AIC, 公司将向来自商界的评审小组介绍他们的创业公司. 每家公司的演讲之后都将有一个互动问答环节，以评估公司和创始人的潜力.

 

After every finalist completes their pitch, 评委们将选出最多10家公司作为获奖者推荐给ACA. 最终，ACA的首席执行官将授予最多10名入围者AIC奖.

 

Following this recognition, AIC awardees will matriculate into the Venture Ready Accelerator.

FULFILLMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION

亚利桑那创新挑战赛的高潮是AIC获奖者利用他们的资金通过Venture Ready加速器在12个月的绩效期内将他们的解决方案商业化或扩大规模. 一般来说，AIC获奖者必须使用他们的资助资金来推进商业化目标. In this pursuit, 获奖人可将奖助金用于诸如策略性倡议等活动, hiring key employees, expanding sales and marketing efforts, or refining a company’s financial model. 获奖者不得将奖助金用于某些行政和间接费用, nor may they use them to compensate existing employees and executives.

 

At the beginning of the fulfillment and commercialization phase, each company will enter into a legal agreement with the ACA, 要求获奖者遵守各种遵守条款，并概述在整个执行期间获得分配给AIC获奖者的资金的标准. The performance period will be defined by the following funding phases:

 

  1. Matriculation: 首期资金将在受奖人法律协议的执行和其他必要的管理工作完成后发放.
  2. Performance Period: During this period, 创始人将完成一系列标准化的cq9传奇电子论坛里程碑，包括为期两周的创始人训练营, a series of pitch “panels” and functional “deep dives”. After each milestone is successfully completed, founders will unlock the next block of grant funding for disbursement. 每位创始人将与一名驻场企业家(EIR)配对，在这段时间内对他们进行指导. 
  3. Graduation: 最后一笔资金将在创业准备加速器成功毕业后发放.

注:AIC补助金不会在创业准备加速器开始时全额发放.

 

AIC获奖者协议中包含的合规条款要求AIC获奖者报告关键业务指标的实现情况, allow onsite visits by ACA personnel, and provide additional documentation to the ACA as needed. In the spirit of proper stewardship of state funds, ACA可以扣留任何未从创业准备加速器毕业的公司的资助资金.

 

In recognition of awardee’s reporting commitments, ACA旨在帮助获奖者提供非稀释性资金和进入Venture Ready Accelerator. In this pursuit, the ACA may engage in activities including, but not limited to, 将AIC获奖者引入其他州计划，以促进持续增长, providing counsel on business issues and best practices, and connecting awardees to outside advisors, service providers and potential investors.

 

ACA在决定执行期间的拨款程序和阶段方面拥有很大的自由裁量权. 具体的里程碑和条款将在ACA和AIC获奖者之间的协议中最后确定. Additionally, 补偿条款将包括在获奖人的法律协议中，以阻止被投资公司从事不利于ACA使命的活动. Activities subject to trigger clawback clauses include, but are not limited to, a company moving their operations out of state, being acquired by a company that moves the operations out of state, or failing to comply with reporting obligations. 未能成功从虚拟加速器毕业的公司仍将被指定为“AIC获奖者”，并仍有义务履行获奖者协议的承诺.