Kalpavriksha has begun with a BANG. The Kalpa team is ecstatic about the overwhelming response that it has received this year! The gruelling task of selecting the top 20 teams from the 131 Social Business plans has been accomplished and the results have been declared on the website on 18^th October. Visit http://ahvan.in/ahvan09/index.html to know your whether your team has been one of the fortunate ones or not.

With international tie-up with Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition (GSEC) of Foster School of Business and association with FINO as ‘Knowledge Partner’ and Cognizant as Sponsor, Kalpavriksha’09 promises to be bigger and better this year. Kalpavriksha moves a step ahead in assessing the social impact brought about by the business plans by introducing a new factor of “Social Impact Assessment”. Concurring with Ahvan’s theme of “Imagining India”, Kalpavriksha continues to be the torch-bearer of self-sustainable social entrepreneurship.

Testimonials from last year’s finalists speak tons about the success of Kalpavriksha.

“Kalpavriksha happens to be one of the most gruelling and testing B-plan competitions in India. Unlike other B-plan competitions whereby you can impress the judges with a 10 minute presentation to walk away with a prize, Kalpavriksha is almost a month long journey which ensures that only the best and genuine entrepreneurial minds manage to make the cut …”

“We have won many competitions, but the Kalpavriksha experience has been one of the most rewarding, even though we did not win anything! It tested our mettle in strategy, our team cohesiveness, the practicality of the plan among other things … Finally, we would like to say that if you want to rub shoulders with the likes of London School of Economics, Princeton University etc., Kalpavriksha is the shortest way to do it for an Indian team. So go for it!”

Team Kalpavriksha is looking forward to provide a platform to the path-breaking ideas of the nation’s young entrepreneurs and leave a lasting impact.

Kalpavriksha – it stands for the wish fulfilling tree. An ancient mythological concept from the ravens of India, it is the symbol of one’s identity and potential. It makes us probe inside our abilities and skills; actions and achievements and asks us a fundamental question- Can you fulfil the wishes of the poorest? It asks us if we have the desire to leave a lasting impact on the society. If so, Kalpavriksha ’09 is the place where you have to be.

First started in 2006, Kalpavriksha is the first of its kind event in India which brings about the amalgation of business principles and efforts. It aims towards societal upliftment and looks at becoming a sustained tool for change. With the best of brains slogging it out for the honours in previous Kalpavrikshas, we have seen some very innovative social B-plans. Now, the sceptical you may say that the talk is all good, but have any of these been put into practise? Well, we’d say that what differentiates Kalpavriksha – The number of projects which have actually been implemented and created an impact. And we promise you, that this is just the beginning.

This year, Kalpavriksha will be bigger and better than even before. We are becoming more inclusive, by including B-schools we did not have earlier, are campaigning more vigorously. We will have the best possible judges. We are having fantastic tie ups. We will give you the best hospitality. All you need to worry about is your Business idea.

Come, join Kalpavriksha ’09!

Kalpavriksha, one of the showcase events of IIM Indore’s annual fest ahvan,
invites budding social entrepreneurs to submit their B-Plans. Kalpavriksha
provides a platform for self-sustainable business plans which have a
measurable social impact.

The winning team and the runner up will receive prizes of Rs. 1, 20, 000 and
Rs. 70,000 respectively. The winner of Kalpavriksha ‘09 also secures a
direct entry into the finals of the ‘Global Social Entrepreneurship
Competition’ (GSEC) organized by the Foster School of Business, University
of Washington, U.S.A to be held in March, 2010!

Send in your entries by 11th October midnight to see your dreams come true.
Participants are required to register themselves online on the ahvan
website: www.ahvan.in . For further details, refer the Kalpavriksha Manual.