Registration Information
Important Dates:
Competition Sign Up:
- Registration and Payment Deadline: 2026.08.10 (EDT GMT-4)
- Business Proposal Submission Deadline: 2026.08.10 (EDT GMT-4)
Competition Process:
- Revision of Business Proposal Submission Deadline: 2026.09.10 (EDT GMT-4)
- Finalist Announcement: 2026.09.22 (EDT GMT-4)
- Final Round Payment Deadline: 2026.09.30 (EDT GMT-4)
- Final Business Proposal & Video Submission Deadline: 2026.11.15 (EST GMT-5)
- Commercial Video Voting: 2026.11.30 – 2026.12.30 (EST GMT-5)
- Orientation: 2026.12.06 (EST GMT-5)
- Competition Rehearsal: 2027.01.04 – 2027.01.06 (EST GMT-5)
- Final Round: 2027.01.09 – 2027.01.11 (EST GMT-5)
- Awards Ceremony: 2027.01.12 (EST GMT-5)
Eligibility:
- Participants must be students currently enrolled in grades 9-12.
- Participants must either hold U.S. citizenship or be currently enrolled in a U.S.-based high school or an American school.
- Each team should consist of 3-6 members.
- Registration and payment must be completed by the specified deadline.
Registration available soon!
Registration Steps:
Click here to sign up and fill out the registration form
Confirm your team details before completing the payment
Upload your Business Proposal to complete your registration
- Create an Account: If you haven’t signed up for an account, please do so before beginning the registration process.
- Register: After you sign up, you can register for this year’s MEC. Please ensure that the first person to register shares their QR code with other teammates, so you can join as a team.
- Payment: Once your team is confirmed, each member may proceed with individual payment.
- Submission: After all team members have completed their payments, your team must upload the Business Proposal to the MEC Dashboard before the deadline for your registration to be considered complete.
Key Takeaways:
- Awards (Silver Certificate)
- Start-Up Funds
- Global Collaboration
- Industry Experts Feedback
- Project-Based Learning
- Solidified Business Plan
- Real World Entrepreneurial Experience
Total Prize Value Over $50,000:
Our awards celebrate the exceptional achievements of our participants and include start-up funds, certificates, MEC scholarship for future participation, and IEG scholarships that grant access to a range of IEG programs.
- 1st Place: $8,800 ($1,000 start-up fund; $1,250 in IEG program scholarship per member; $50 MEC scholarship per member)
- 2nd Place: $7,000 ($700 start-up fund; $1,000 in IEG program scholarship per member; $50 MEC scholarship per member)
- 3rd Place: $5,600 ($500 start-up fund; $800 in IEG program scholarship per member; $50 MEC scholarship per member)
Other team awards will be listed in the MEC Brochure.
Registration Fee
First Round
$60
Format: Self-Paced Online Submission
What You’ll Receive:
Professional written feedback on your Business Proposal
Early-stage evaluation aligned with real-world entrepreneurial standards
The opportunity to advance to the Final Round and compete at a higher level
An official silver MEC Certificate of Participation
Final Round
$339
Format: Live Virtual Competition
What You’ll Receive:
Personalized video feedback with in-depth insights to refine your ideas and presentation
A live, high-level competition experience alongside top teams from around the world
Direct evaluation from experienced judges with backgrounds in business and entrepreneurship
An official silver MEC Finalist Certificate
First Round
$60
Format: Self-Paced Online Submission
What You’ll Receive:
Professional written feedback on your Business Proposal
Early-stage evaluation aligned with real-world entrepreneurial standards
The opportunity to advance to the Final Round and compete at a higher level
An official silver MEC Certificate of Participation
Final Round
$339
Format: Live Virtual Competition
What You’ll Receive:
Personalized video feedback with in-depth insights to refine your ideas and presentation
A live, high-level competition experience alongside top teams from around the world
Direct evaluation from experienced judges with backgrounds in business and entrepreneurship
An official silver MEC Finalist Certificate
MEC Participants Feedback
“Honestly I didn’t expect MEC Online Americas to be this intense, but in a good way. I learned so much about business and pitching, and it actually made me more confident speaking in front of others.”
– Achara N.
“MEC Online Americas was such a cool experience!! Even though it was online, I still got to meet people from different places and work together on a business idea, which was really fun and meaningful.”
– Harley W.
“At first I was kinda nervous because I didn’t have much business background, but the mentors and judges were super supportive. They actually listened to our ideas and gave really helpful feedback.”
– Camila S.
“One of my favorite parts was brainstorming with my team. We all had different perspectives, and somehow we turned our random ideas into a full business proposal. It felt really rewarding.”
– Valentina P.
“I would definitely recommend MEC Online Americas to other students. It’s not just about business, you also improve teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills.”
– Danzel H.
Frequently Asked Questions:
General
General FAQ
Q: How and where do I register for the competition?
You will need an account to register. Please sign up for an account if you haven’t created one before starting the registration process. Make sure to activate your account via the verification email.
You can now start your registration process by following the instructions below:
- After signing in, click here to fill out the registration form. Please confirm whether your teammate has already registered when filling out the registration form. If one of your teammates has already registered, ask them for the QR code. If not, after creating the team, remind your teammates to use your QR code during their registration.
- After confirming Team Info, please proceed with individual payment.
Once you complete the above steps and upload your Business Proposal before the deadline, your team will be officially listed as participants for the First Round Competition.
Q: How can my teammates and I form a team if we were unable to join each other’s team while filling out the registration form?
If you and your teammates have registered multiple teams independently, please ensure you keep only one account with the team QR code. The other team member(s) should withdraw their team registration from their dashboard. After the withdrawal, your teammate(s) can proceed to the registration form and complete it by using the team QR code.
Q: What forms of payment are accepted? Can I pay with a credit card?
We accept credit cards.
Q: What if I need to cancel the registration after my team has completed the payment? Can I get a refund?
Please refer to the refund policy for details.
Q: If a team member withdraws during the competition, will the team be allowed to continue with the competition?
If a team member has to withdraw from the competition, as long as there are at least three members remaining in the team, the team will be allowed to continue.
Q: Can I add or remove any team members after confirming the team info?
No, changes to team members are not allowed once “Step 1: Confirm Team Info” has been completed.
Q: Is there a maximum or minimum number of participants allowed in a team?
Teams must consist of 3 to 6 members. Teams with fewer than 3 members or more than 6 members will not be eligible to participate.
Q: What happens if my team misses the proposal submission deadline?
Teams that fail to submit their business proposals by the deadline will be disqualified from the competition.
Submission
Submission FAQ
Q: What is the submission deadline?
For the First Round, all teams must complete registration and submit their initial Business Proposal by August 10th, 2026 (EDT, GMT-4).
If your team advances to the Final Round, please follow the subsequent deadlines listed in the Important Dates section. Late submissions will not be accepted and may affect your team’s eligibility.
Q: How do I submit my files?
Please submit your files through the MEC dashboard. After logging in, navigate to the appropriate section for each file and follow the instructions to upload your submission.
Q: What file formats are accepted for submission?
We accept submissions in PDF for your Business Proposal, and MP4 for your Pitch Video and Commercial Video.
Q: Can I make changes to my submission after I’ve uploaded it?
Yes, you can delete the original file and upload a new one. Please ensure that all final materials are uploaded before the submission deadline.
Q: Is there a size limit for the files we can upload?
Yes, your Business Proposal should not exceed 25MB, while the Pitch Video and Commercial Video file can be up to 80MB. If your files are larger, consider compressing them or adjusting the resolution of large videos or images.
Q: Can we submit multiple files for the project?
No, each project only allows for one file upload. Please ensure that the file you submit is the final version and meets all necessary requirements.
Q: How will we know if our submission was successful?
Once you have successfully uploaded your file, you will see a table with your uploaded file details on your dashboard (see attachment for reference). Additionally, our support team will review all submissions before the competition. If any files are missing, we will reach out to the teams via email.
Q: What happens if my team misses the submission deadline?
Teams that miss the submission deadline may be disqualified from the competition. We will send reminder emails leading up to the deadline, so please ensure to check your email regularly during the competition period for any important updates.
Q: What should I do if I encounter technical issues during submission?
If you face any technical issues, please contact our support team immediately at mec@ivyedugrp.org before the deadline. We recommend submitting your file ahead of time to avoid last-minute issues.
Q: Will there be any extensions for the submission deadline?
No, the submission deadline is firm. Please plan accordingly and submit all materials before the deadline.
Refund
Refund Policy FAQ
Q: What is the refund policy for the MEC Online?
- If you cancel within the first 2 days of payment, you will receive a 70% refund excluding Stripe fees.
- If you cancel within the first 5 days of payment, you will receive a 50% refund excluding Stripe fees.
- No refunds will be issued after the 5-day period.
Q: How can I request a refund?
To request a refund, please contact our support team at mec@ivyedugrp.org with your registration details, including your legal English full name and team name.
Q: How long is the refund processing time?
Refund processing time may vary, but please allow up to 10-14 business days after your request has been confirmed.
*Please note that our company reserves the right to change the competition’s format, date, or location if necessary.
Contact
A: 5214F Diamond Heights Blvd #3322, San Francisco, CA 94131
T: +1.800.965.9379
E-mail：mec@ivyedugrp.org
About Us
MEC is a global competition hosted by IEG Global Association. All university-run programs are conducted by each university respectively, and IEG serves as its official representative.