Want to win a blazing 100,000 Dollars? Forbes is giving it away.
Forbes has a contest "Boost your Business" , a second time around this year.
It's quite simple, you come up with an idea with your team (small). In 500 words, you outline your business plan and you're done.
Sounds great, considering HP is sponsoring it among other big/medium companies.
What made me curious was going through the legal agreement you have to accept, which most of us neglect.
"The Contest Sponsors, including, but not limited to Forbes.com LLC, and
Hewlett-Packard Company (“Sponsors”) may publicize any initially
submitted entries in full or in part. By entering, participants (1)
acknowledge that Sponsors, Judges, and/or Forbes.com readers may
develop or promote ideas, concepts or products which are similar to any
ideas, concepts or products you may submit as part of your contest
entry; and (2) to the fullest extent permitted by law, agree to release
and indemnify Sponsors, Judges, and/or Forbes.com readers from and
against any and all liability arising out of any similar ideas concepts
or products developed or promoted by Sponsors, Judges, and/or
Forbes.com readers. Sponsors, Judges, and Forbes.com readers will be granted access to some or all of the business descriptions and information submitted
as entries in this Contest. Access to the business ideas will be
granted to the members of the judging panels, visitors to Forbes.com,
and Promosis to screen and conduct judging of entries."
Essentially you will give away your idea, and a right to protect it. Now, i would understand if a portion or a summary of an idea would be publicized for some voting.
Consider this, you're submitting a great idea for your service, and some sponsor (even lowest), can catch this during "judging" and orders it to be developed, obviously they might develop it quicker considering an idea might never get the first place.
If you attempt to develop this and publish it after their promotion date, you will disadvantage and labeled as copy cat, perhaps other legal trouble that may arise.
I hope this post is viewed as much as possible to be aware of all this so called contests.
Here is the link: Contest
Posted at 01:25PM May 20, 2008 by Serge in Politics | Comments[0]