Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at raghu@fractionalcxo.biz or admin@mrcconsultancy.net if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Who can apply for this competition?

Any early-stage startup, solo founder, or founding team based in India can apply.
You may apply even if you are:

Pre-revenue
Pre-product
Bootstrapped

At idea, MVP, or early GTM stage

Is there an application fee?

No. Participation is completely free

What should the submission include?

Submit either:

A 2-page mini deck, OR
A 3-slide pitch deck

Your submission should cover:

Problem clarity
Uniqueness of your solution
Scalability
Founder–System Fit
Presentation clarity

What formats are accepted?

We accept:

PDF
PPT / PPTX
Google Slides link

When is the last date to apply?

29 December 2025
Submissions close at 11:59 PM IST.

When will results be announced?

On 12 January 2026, via email + LinkedIn announcement.

When and where is the award ceremony?

26 January 2026
Venue: Hyderabad (details will be emailed to finalists)

What are the prizes?

🥇 1st Prize:₹50,000 + CE + WLS + 1:1 – 2-Day CXO GTM Mentoring Boot Camp
🥈 2nd Prize: ₹25,000 + CE + WLS + 1:1 – 2-Day CXO GTM Mentoring Boot Camp
🥉 3rd Prize: ₹10,000 + CE + WLS + 1:1 – 2-Day CXO GTM Mentoring Boot Camp
🏅 Top 10 Finalists: Free CE + WLS + Certificate
🟣 All Participants: 25–30% discount on CE/WLS services

. What are CE and WLS?

Clarity Engine (CE): AI-driven framework that evaluates clarity of your business narrative, problem definition, pitch quality, and scalability signals.
Weak Link Scanner (WLS): AI-assisted diagnostic that identifies gaps in GTM, pricing, revenue model, product-market fit, and scale blockers.

These tools help you understand exactly where your startup stands and what must improve.

Can I apply if I already have funding?

Yes.
Seed-funded and angel-funded startups can apply, provided they are still in early-stage or early GTM phase.

Can student-led startups participate?

Yes. Student founders or campus startups are welcome.

Is there any sector restriction?

No.
Startups from any sector can apply, including SaaS, D2C, AI/ML, Healthtech, fintech, edtech, manufacturing, agriculture, EV, Web3, etc.

How is the evaluation done?

Evaluation includes:

Internal jury: CXOs, mentors, startup experts
AI-based scoring (CE + WLS outputs)
Manual scorecard based on clarity, uniqueness, scalability, founder readiness, and presentation

What happens after submission?

You will receive an acknowledgement email.
Top 10 finalists will be invited for:

AI frameworks debrief
CXO discussion
Awards ceremony

Will my idea be safe?

Yes.
All submissions are treated confidentially and used only for evaluation.
We do not share decks with external parties beyond jury members.
Confidentiality is ensured with Mutual Non Disclosure Agreement (MNDA)sent in signed off manner after startup deck is received from where we pick the address for this MNDA to be sent!

Can I update my deck after submission?

You may update once before the deadline.

Will I receive feedback even if I don’t win?

Yes — every participant will receive:

AI-generated CE + WLS summary OR
Discount code for CE/WLS full version

How do I contact the organising team?

Email: awards@mrcconsultancy.net raghu@fractionalcxo.biz

LinkedIn: MRC-LinkedIn; MRCC; FractionalCXO

Networking Partners: Hyderabad Management Association • Perception Essentials

What makes this award different from others?

This is India’s first AI-powered startup clarity award, providing:

Diagnostic insights, not just ranking
CXO-level mentoring
Practical GTM readiness evaluation
Clear, actionable improvement areas

Winners don’t just get prizes — they get clarity, direction, and acceleration.

Sample Submission Template

This template helps you present your startup clearly and concisely. Please keep your responses crisp, factual, and insight driven.

Problem Clarity

a. What problem are you solving?
(Explain in 2–3 sentences. Avoid jargon.)

Example prompt: “What pain point exists today? Who feels it the most?”

b. Why is this problem important to solve now?
(Market timing, urgency, context.)

c. Who experiences this problem and how frequently?
(Target user segment, frequency, impact.)

Uniqueness of Your Solution

a. What is your proposed solution in one crisp sentence?
(Your elevator pitch.)

b. What makes your solution different from existing alternatives?
(Features, approach, tech, workflow, cost advantage, experience.)

c. Why will customers choose you over others?
(Your differentiation and defensibility.)

Scalability

a. What is your revenue or business model?
(How do you make money?)

b. What does scaling look like for you?
(Geographical, segment-wise, product-wise expansion.)

c. What are the top 1–2 constraints to scaling — and how do you plan to overcome them?
(Infrastructure, talent, regulations, distribution, etc.)

Founder–System Fit

a. Why are you the right founder(s) to build this?
(Experience, passion, domain expertise, personal story.)

b. What strengths of your team directly map to the problem and solution?

c. What support do you need (mentors, networks, capital, frameworks) to accelerate your journey?

Presentation Clarity

Applicants should ensure the submitted deck/document is:

Well-structured: problem → solution → model → traction (if any) → ask
Visually clean: limited text, clear diagrams, consistent fonts
Insight-rich: no buzzwords, only validated statements
Concise: 8–10 slides max (if submitting a deck)

Optional:

Attach a link to your product demo / landing page / prototype (if available).