If you phone, after leaving your name and address, you will have up to one minute to pitch your idea. If you choose to e-mail, you will have to pitch your idea in no more than 100 words.
There are three categories of entry and you will have to choose one of them. o The first category is for those with an innovative idea for a business offering a new product or service. o The second is for those with plans to learn new skills by taking a course such as an MBA. o The third is for those who want to use their skills to support a socially responsible project.
The winner will be chosen from across all three categories.
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Entrants have to supply their name, full address, phone number and state which category they wish to enter as well as providing their one-minute pitch.
The £100,000 prize — which is tax-free and paid in a lump sum — is to help pay for your financial commitments while you pursue your idea or goal.
The competition is open to UK and Republic of Ireland residents over the age of 18.
Only one entry per person is allowed.
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Multiple pitches are not permitted.
If you make a mistake while delivering your pitch you will not be allowed to call back and leave another entry. We suggest that you practise delivering your pitch before phoning, unless you are experienced at this kind of presentation. If it helps, write down a script and read that. And remember, it must last no longer than one minute.
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Calls to the One Minute Pitch phone line will cost 3p a minute during the daytime from a landline and 1p in the evening and at weekends and should last no more than two-and-a-half minutes. The lines are open now. Alternatively, you can enter online after spending a few minutes registering with us.
Our judges will be looking for a number of qualities when they make their decision. The best ideas will have big potential and reek of innovation. The judges will want to be sure that the idea, if enacted, would change the life of the entrant, and preferably the lives of others. Entrants must be able to demonstrate great passion for their project, with thought having been given to how it could be implemented.
The deadline for entries is midnight on July 5. Our judges will examine all the entries and the best 100 will be announced on July 31. Limited details of the best ideas may be published in the paper.
The top 100 will then be whittled down to a top 10, who will be invited to present their ideas in person to a panel of judges on September 5. The winner will then be announced on September 11.