Competition Information
Competition Process
This year’s MEC will be held entirely offline in Tokyo. Participants need to register and submit their qualification materials and required files. After submission, students should prepare for the offline competition in Tokyo, where their business plans and presentations will be evaluated by professors and domain experts from top universities and Fortune 500 companies.
2025.01.15 (PST GMT-8)｜Registration and Qualification Materials Submission Deadline for MEC Legacy Tokyo 2025
- 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.
2025.01.22 (PST GMT-8)｜Payment Deadline for MEC Legacy Tokyo 2025
- Please make sure to complete your payment individually after your team receives the qualification email from mec@ivyedugrp.org.
2025.04.07 (PDT GMT-7)｜Business Proposal: First Draft Submission Deadline
- Please ensure to submit the first draft of your Business Proposal by April 7th, 2025 (PDT GMT-7).
- Please click here for the Business Proposal requirements.
2025.04.21 - 04.28 (PDT GMT-7)｜Judge Feedback on Submitted First Draft
- 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.
2025.05.30 (PDT GMT-7)｜Commercial Video Submission Deadline
- Please ensure to submit your Commercial Video by May 30th, 2025 (PDT GMT-7).
- Please click here for the Commercial Video requirements.
2025.06.18 - 07.08 (PDT GMT-7)｜Commercial Video Voting (Ended)
Thank you for participating in the Video Voting!
The videos will be made public again on the IEG’s official YouTube channel on July 11th at 12:00 AM PDT.
2025.07.14 (PDT GMT-7)｜Business Proposal: Final Draft Submission Deadline
- Please ensure to submit the final draft of your Business Proposal by July 14th, 2025 (PDT GMT-7).
- Please click here for the Business Proposal requirements.
2025.07.28 14:30 - 20:30 (JST GMT+9)｜Check-in
- All students who choose the Signature Plan can check in with the MEC staff at the hotel lobby between 14:30 and 20:30 on July 28th (JST GMT+9).
- Hotel Name: KKR Hotel Tokyo
- Address: 1 Chome-4-1 Ōtemachi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
2025.07.29 - 07.31 (JST GMT+9)｜Competition & Competition Flow
- 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:
July 30th:
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
July 31st:
Final Round (Selected Teams)
Each Final Round session will proceed as follows:
1. Commercial Video for team announcement (please proceed to the stage while your video is playing.)
2. Live pitch presentation – 5 minutes
3. Judge Q&A and voting – 8 minutes
2025.07.30 18:00 - 21:00 (JST GMT+9)｜Dinner Party
- 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 18:00 and 18:25 on July 30th.
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As part of the MEC Legacy Tokyo 2025 experience, all participating teams are required to prepare a 3–4 minute Talent Show performance.
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The Talent Show will count for 40 points (all or none), which will be factored into your competition score.
2025.07.31 (JST GMT+9)｜Awards Ceremony
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.
Submission Requirements
Each team must submit one detailed business plan and one commercial video. For full details on the requirements, please refer to the guidelines below.
Business Proposal Requirements
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- Your Business Proposal should include the following:
- Cover Page:
Include your team name, logo, team members’ names, school name, and the supervising teacher’s name (if applicable). - Product or Service Introduction:
Introduce the product or service you have designed. How did you come up with your business idea? Why do you want to create this product or service? - Problem or Opportunity Identification:
Describe an existing pain point you aim to solve or a business opportunity you have identified. - Market Analysis:
Conduct a thorough market analysis. Identify your target customers and describe the key customer segments that would benefit the most from your product or service. Include market size, trends, and the competitive landscape. - Value Proposition:
Explain the unique value your product or service offers. Why should customers choose your solution over competitors’? What makes it stand out in the market, and what benefits will your customers gain from using it? - Marketing Strategy:
Outline your marketing strategy. How will you reach your target audience? What channels will you use to promote your product? What will be the key messages in your marketing campaign, and how do you plan to position your brand? - Financial Analysis:
Provide a comprehensive financial analysis. What is your pricing strategy, and how do you plan to cover costs and generate profit? Are there any key partnerships or suppliers? Include details on projected revenue, break-even analysis, and profit forecasts. - Realistic Next Steps:
What practical steps will your team take to implement the business? Outline the key milestones and specific actions required to successfully launch and scale your business as you move forward.
- Cover Page:
- The draft submissions of your Business Proposal should be under 20 pages, no more than 25MB for the first draft and no more than 50MB for the final draft in a PDF file. Please refer to examples 1, 2, 3, and 4.
- Please follow this naming convention for your Business Proposal: TEAM NAME_Final Business Proposal.
- Important: For your live presentation during the competition, you may submit an additional file to mec@ivyedugrp.org by July 29th, 2025, 8:00 PM (JST, GMT+9). We accept files in PPT, or PPTX format. There is no page limit for the presentation slides, but please ensure that your content can be fully presented within the 5-minute time limit.
- Your Business Proposal should include the following:
Commercial Video Requirements
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- Each team will be required to shoot a Commercial Video promoting their business ideas, products, or services. This exercise not only showcases creativity and communication skills, but also strengthens critical thinking as teams must distill their core value proposition and present it in a compelling and strategic way. (Examples)
- What is a Commercial Video? A Commercial Video is a short, engaging film created to showcase your business idea, product, or service. Think of it as a mini-advertisement designed to capture attention and spark interest. Commercial Videos typically include the following elements:
- Introduction: Briefly introduce your business or product.
- Benefits: Highlight what makes it special and why people would want or need it.
- Call to Action: Tell viewers what you want them to do next (such as visit your website or buy your product).
Let your creativity shine and make sure your video is captivating and represents your unique concept! The sky’s the limit!
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- There are no restrictions on the form and style of the short video, but the video content must comply with relevant international video and advertising laws and regulations. Racial discrimination, pornographic or violent content, and excessively exaggerated, vulgar, or false advertising content are not allowed in the video.
- All submitted videos should be either your original creations or properly licensed, including any necessary copyrights or permissions. MEC is not responsible for verifying these rights and will not be liable for any copyright infringements.
- The video should be no more than 1 minute and 15 seconds long, no more than 100MB in file size, and must be in MP4 format.
- Please follow this naming convention for your Commercial Video: TEAM NAME_Commercial Video
Scoring Guidelines
Each team will be evaluated based on their business proposal and performance during the offline competition. Judges will score each team according to the criteria outlined below.
Round I & II (400 Points)
Product & Market Research (100 Points):
- Value Proposition: The appeal of your product or service to your customers and how well it meets their needs.
- Market Overview: Understanding of the overall market environment and its conditions.
- Customer Segmentation: Identification of key customers and their needs.
- Competitive Analysis: Assessment of your potential competitors and their market positioning.
Marketing & Operational Plan (100 Points):
- Marketing Strategy: An effective strategy to reach the target audience, including identification of key marketing channels, audience preferences, budget, etc.
- Future Operational Plan: Outline of realistic next steps for launching and scaling your business.
- Risk Management: Identification of potential risks with proposed solutions.
Financial Analysis & Investment Potential (100 Points):
- Revenue Model: A plan or model for how your business will generate income.
- 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.
- 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.
Competition Round I & II and Talent Show (100 Points):
- Clarity of Communication: Clear and concise delivery of the presentation.
- Team Collaboration and Confidence: Demonstration of confidence and teamwork throughout the presentation. It is not a one-person team.
- Visual Aids and Presentation Design: The use of visual aids, such as slides or props, to enhance the presentation.
- Peer Review and Judge Q&A: Provide comprehensive responses with clear logic, theory, and data support to the questions from the Peer Review Team and the judges.
- Talent Show: Demonstration of creativity, stage presence, team spirit, and adherence to time limits.
Final Round (100 Points) - Selected Teams
- Clarity of Communication: Clear and concise delivery of the presentation.
- Team Collaboration and Confidence: Demonstration of confidence and teamwork throughout the presentation. It is not a one-person team.
- Visual Aids and Presentation Design: The use of visual aids, such as slides or props, to enhance the presentation.
- Judge Q&A and Voting: Provide comprehensive responses with clear logic, theory, and data support to the questions from the judges. Teams that perform well will have a higher chance of earning judge votes.
Commercial Video Voting (Separate Awards for Winners)*
- 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.
Event Schedule
Monday, July 28
14:30-20:30
Signature Plan Student Check-in
KKR Hotel Tokyo, Lobby
14:30-20:30
KKR Hotel Tokyo, Lobby
Signature Plan: For students choosing the Signature Plan, please note that you are responsible for your own airport pick-up and drop-off. You must also check in at the assigned hotel (KKR Hotel) lobby on July 28th, 2025, between 14:30 and 20:30 (JST GMT+9).
Tuesday, July 29
09:15-09:30
Student Check-in
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
09:30-11:45
Opening Ceremony
Lecture – Dr. Anas Chalah
中会議場3 & 4
中会議場3 & 4
11:45-13:00
Lunch
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
13:00-16:30
Lecture – Martin Andersons & Herman Chan
Judge Consultation Sessions
中会議場3 & 4
中会議場3 & 4
09:15-09:30
Student Check-in
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
09:30-11:45
中会議場3 & 4
中会議場3 & 4
11:45-13:00
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
13:00-16:30
Lecture – Martin Andersons & Herman Chan
中会議場3 & 4
中会議場3 & 4
Wednesday, July 30
09:15-09:35
Student Check-in
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
09:35-12:25
Competition Round I
中会議場3, 中会議場4
12:25-13:30
Lunch
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
13:30-16:30
Competition Round II
中会議場3, 中会議場4
18:00-21:00
Dinner Party (Talent Show)*
如水会館 記念室
09:15-09:35
Student Check-in
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
09:35-12:25
中会議場3, 中会議場4
12:25-13:30
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
13:30-16:30
Competition Round II
中会議場3, 中会議場4
18:00-21:00
Dinner Party (Talent Show)*
如水会館 記念室
*The Talent Show will count for 40 points (all or none), which will be factored into your competition score.
*Please note that the 如水会館 記念室 (dinner party location) is located in the building next to the event venue (Hitotsubashi Hall).
Thursday, July 31
09:15-09:40
Student Check-in
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
09:40-12:00
一橋講堂
Final Round I (Selected Teams)
一橋講堂
12:00-13:00
Lunch
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
13:00-16:30
Final Round II (Selected Teams)
一橋講堂
一橋講堂
09:15-09:40
Student Check-in
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
09:40-12:00
Final Round Kickoff
Final Round I (Selected Teams)
一橋講堂
一橋講堂
12:00-13:00
Lunch
Hitotsubashi Hall, 2F
13:00-16:30
Final Round II (Selected Teams)
Awards Ceremony
一橋講堂
一橋講堂
Friday, August 1
Note: For participants who are unable to return home on the last day of the competition and require an extra night of accommodation, please email us at mec@ivyedugrp.org for more details by June 6th.
Event Locations
KKR Hotel Tokyo
Address: KKR Hotel Tokyo, 1 Chome-4-1 Ōtemachi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
Phone: +81 3-3287-2921
By Train:
• Directly connected to Exit 3b of the Tozai Line “Takebashi Station(竹橋駅)”
• 5-minute from Exit C2 of the Chiyoda Line “Otemachi Station(大手町駅)”
• 5-minute from Exit A9 of the Toei Subway “Jimbocho Station(神保町駅)”
• 20-minute from Tokyo Station
Hitotsubashi Hall (一橋講堂)
Address: Japan, 〒101-8439 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Hitotsubashi, 2 Chome−1−2 学術総合センター 2F
Phone: +81 3-4212-3900
By Train:
• Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line / Toei Mita Line / Toei Shinjuku Line: “Jimbocho Station(神保町駅),” Exit A9
• Tokyo Metro Tozai Line: “Takebashi Station(竹橋駅),” Exit 1b
• 3–5 minutes’ walk from either station
Josuikaikan Hall (如水会館)
Address: Japan, 〒101-0003 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Hitotsubashi, 2 Chome−1−1 如水会ビルディング
Phone: +81 3-3261-1101
By Train:
• Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line / Toei Mita Line / Toei Shinjuku Line: “Jimbocho Station(神保町駅),” Exit A9
• Tokyo Metro Tozai Line: “Takebashi Station(竹橋駅),” Exit 1b
• 3–5 minutes’ walk from either station
Basic Plan: For students who choose the Basic Plan, please note that you are responsible for arriving on time at the MEC venue (Hitotsubashi Hall) each morning on your own during the 3-day event.
Signature Plan: For students choosing the Signature Plan, please note that you are responsible for your own airport pick-up and drop-off. You must also check in at the assigned hotel (KKR Hotel) lobby on July 28th, 2025, between 14:30 and 20:30 (JST GMT+9).
Premium Plan: For students choosing the Premium Plan, please provide your arrival and departure flight information when booking your flight. We will provide pick-up and drop-off services.
*Please note that the room type may vary depending on the number of registrations. IEG reserves the right to make adjustments to the overall event arrangements as needed.
Talent Show
As part of the MEC Legacy Tokyo 2025 experience, all participating teams are required to prepare a 3-4 minute talent show performance. This segment is a highlight of the event and gives students a chance to express their creativity, team spirit, and cultural pride outside of the business competition.
What to Expect:
- Each team (not individual participants) will perform one act.
- Performances can be musical, theatrical, dance-based, comedic, or cultural—any creative form is welcome!
- All performances must be age-appropriate and respectful of all cultures and backgrounds.
Guidelines:
- Time limit: 3-4 minutes per team.
- All team members should participate in some way.
- Simple props, costumes, or backing music are encouraged (please notify staff in advance if tech support is needed).
- The Talent Show will count for 40 points (all or none), which will be factored into your competition score.
The talent show is designed to:
- Celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our participants.
- Encourage collaboration and creativity.
- Create lasting memories through shared performance.
Competition Checklist
To ensure you have a well-prepared and rewarding experience at MEC Legacy Tokyo 2025, the following checklist outlines the key steps to complete prior to the event. Follow along to stay organized and ready!
Required Submissions
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Commercial Video Submission
Upload your team’s commercial video by the specified deadline. -
Final Business Plan Submission
Submit the finalized version of your business plan by the specified deadline. - Presentation Slides Submission (if different from Business Plan)
If your live presentation uses a different version of the slides, please submit the file separately during check-in. -
Talent Show Performance Submission
Prepare a 3-4 minute team performance. Submit accompanying music, videos, or media files in advance. -
Participant Agreement & Emergency Contact Form
Complete and return the official forms, including parental/guardian consent and emergency contact details for each participant
Travel & Logistics
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Flight Booking Confirmation
Ensure all team members have confirmed round-trip flights to Tokyo. -
Hotel Booking Confirmation (for Basic Plan)
Confirm accommodations for the entire duration of the program. -
Visa Application (if required)
Check visa requirements and complete the application process early. -
Team Attire Preparation
Pack coordinated team outfits or formal wear for ceremonies, dinner party, and live competitions.
Post-Event Follow-Up
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Feedback Survey Submission
Complete the post-event survey provided by the organizers. -
Award Follow-Up (if applicable)
Submit required documents (e.g., banking info, name confirmation) if your team receives a fund, scholarship, or letter of recommendation.