• Students can form teams of 2-6 members to register.
• Please submit your qualification materials before proceeding with payment.
• Please click here for the qualification requirements.

• Please make sure to complete your payment individually after your team receives the qualification email from mec@ivyedugrp.org.

• Please ensure to submit the first draft of your Business Proposal by April 6th, 2026 (PDT GMT-7).
• Please click here for the Business Proposal requirements.

• Each team will receive feedback and guidance from the Judges. Take the time to review it and refine your Business Proposal before the final draft submission deadline.

• Please ensure to submit your Commercial Video by May 25th, 2026 (PDT GMT-7).
• Please click here for the Commercial Video requirements.

• Please ensure to submit your One-Pager by June 8th, 2026 (PDT GMT-7).
• Please click here for the One-Pager requirements.

We’re excited to announce voting for your Commercial Videos will now take place on YouTube, where the most attention wins. Marketing is a crucial skill for any successful entrepreneur, and this is your chance to prove just how good you are!

All videos will be publicly accessible on IEG’s official YouTube channel. Now it’s time to rally your friends, family, and supporters to like, share, comment, and view your video. The more engagement your video gets, the higher your chances of winning the Best Commercial Video Award!

Good luck, and may the best team win!

• Please ensure to submit the final draft of your Business Proposal by July 13th, 2026 (PDT GMT-7).
• Please click here for the Business Proposal requirements.

• Signature & Signature+ Plan: Please check in with the MEC staff at the hotel lobby between 14:30 and 20:30 on August 2nd, 2026 (JST GMT+9).
• Premium Plan: Please provide your arrival and departure flight information for us to confirm your pick-up and drop-off services.
• Hotel Name: KKR Hotel Tokyo
• Address: 1 Chome-4-1 Ōtemachi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan

• Competition Schedule: Please click here for the daily event schedule.
• Event Location: Hitotsubashi Hall
• Address: 〒101-8439 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Hitotsubashi, 2 Chome−1−2 学術総合センタ 2F
• Please check in with the MEC staff at Hitotsubashi Hall every morning at the announced time.
• The orientation will be held on the first day of the competition.

Competition Flow:

August 4th:
Round I – Peer Review Team (PRT) Sessions
Each Peer Review session will proceed as follows:
1. Presentation by Team A – 5 minutes
2. Questions from Team B to Team A – 5 minutes
3. Presentation by Team B – 5 minutes
4. Questions from Team A to Team B – 5 minutes

Round II – Judge Evaluation Round
Each Judge Evaluation session will proceed as follows:
1. Presentation by Team A – 5 minutes
2. Judge Q&A to Team A – 5 minutes
3. Presentation by Team B – 5 minutes
4. Judge Q&A to Team B – 5 minutes

August 5th:
Final Round (Selected Teams)
Each Final Round session will proceed as follows:
1. Advanced team announcement (please proceed to the stage after your team name is called.)
2. Live pitch presentation – 5 minutes
3. Judge Q&A and voting – 7 minutes

• All students and Judges are required to join us for the dinner party, where you can connect with others. Please check in with the MEC staff at the venue between 17:30 and 18:00 on August 4th.

• As part of the MEC Legacy Tokyo 2026 experience, all participating teams are required to prepare a 3–4 minute Talent Show performance.

• Mandatory: All participants are required to attend the Talent Show. Any team member who fails to attend without a valid reason will result in the entire team losing their eligibility to continue participating in MEC.

The award ceremony will take place right after the Final Round of the competition and is expected to end around 4:30 PM. Please make sure to book your return flight later in the evening.

For students under the Signature, Signature+, or Premium plans who wish to extend their hotel stay, please click here to purchase the extra night.

Awards Ceremony Location:

• Hitotsubashi Hall: Japan, 〒101-8439 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Hitotsubashi, 2 Chome−1−2 学術総合センタ 2F

Awards for the MEC Legacy Tokyo 2025:

• 1st Place: $12,000 ($2,400 start-up fund; $1,600 in scholarships for IEG programs per member; letter of recommendation from MEC Judge)
• 2nd Place: $9,900 ($1,500 start-up fund; $1,400 in scholarships for IEG programs per member; letter of recommendation from MEC Judge)
• 3rd Place: $7,700 ($800 start-up fund; $1,150 in scholarships for IEG programs per member; letter of recommendation from MEC Judge)
• 4th Place: $6,300 ($300 start-up fund; $1,000 in scholarships for IEG programs per member; letter of recommendation from MEC Judge)
• 5th Place: $4,500 ($300 start-up fund; $700 in scholarships for IEG programs per member; letter of recommendation from MEC Judge)
• Other team awards will be listed in the MEC Brochure.

Vision & Ethics – 20%

• Originality: Demonstrates bold and creative approaches to addressing a meaningful problem.
• Ethical Responsibility: Balances innovation with ethical considerations and positive social or environmental impact.
• Impact Potential: Shows the capacity to create meaningful change in its chosen context.

Market Opportunity – 20%

• Value Proposition: The appeal of your product or service to your customers and how well it meets their needs.
• Customer Segmentation: Identification of key customers and their needs.
• Market Overview & Reach: Demonstrates convincing evidence of market size, growth, and potential impact.
• Competitive Analysis: Assessment of your potential competitors and their market positioning.

Business Model – 20%

• Value Alignment: Ensures the business model aligns with customer needs and delivers strong value.
• Revenue Model: Outlines clear and sustainable methods of generating income.
• Marketing Strategy: Develops an effective and creative plan to engage the target audience, leveraging appropriate channels, customer insights, and resources.
• Scalability: Demonstrates the potential for expansion and long-term growth.

Financial & Execution Strategy – 20%

• Cost Structure: A comprehensive breakdown of all potential expenses.
• Financial Analysis: Realistic and detailed financial projections for the first 3–5 years of your business.
• Execution Plan: Identifies potential risks and proposes practical strategies to address them.
• Investment Potential: The attractiveness of the business idea to potential investors, showcasing a strong value proposition for a scalable, repeatable, and executable business model with significant market opportunity and investment potential.

Presentation & Collaboration – 20%

• Clarity: Communicates ideas effectively in both the pitch and the one-pager.
• Visual Aids and Presentation Design: Uses visual aids, such as slides or props, to enhance understanding and engagement.
• Team Collaboration and Confidence: Demonstrates confidence and teamwork throughout the presentation. It is not a one-person effort.
• Peer Review and Judge Q&A: Provides comprehensive responses with clear logic, theory, and data support to questions from the Peer Review Team and the judges.

Final Presentation – 100%

• Business Model & Proposition: Shows strong alignment with customer needs, a clear way to generate revenue, and potential for future growth.
• Financial & Execution Plan: Combines realistic cost and revenue projections with a clear execution strategy, addresses risks, and demonstrates strong investment potential.
• Presentation & Teamwork: Delivers ideas with clarity and confidence, uses visuals to support key points, and demonstrates strong teamwork and effective responses during Q&A.

• Best Marketing Award: The award will be based on the number of views and engagements. All videos will be featured on our official YouTube channel.
  *Note: The results of the video voting will not be included in the final score.