Contestants for the Al Gore Sustainable Technology Venture Competition need to prepare a business plan that can meet traditional profitability and return-on-investment standards while also demonstrating eco-friendliness and eco-sensitivity by increasing sustainability. The students will highlight the specific sustainability benefits resulting from the project, such as climate change mitigation, energy efficiency, toxicity reduction, renewability, water security, etc while also spelling out the metrics by which these benefits could be quantified. Many entries have been received from Engineering and Management Institutes across India. Shortlisted teams will present their business plans to a panel of judges including industrialists and venture capitalists on December 04, 2008 at IIFT, New Delhi.

The finalists and semifinalists from India will earn a chance to participate in the March 2009 Sustainable Track Global Competition hosted at the Tepper School, Carnegie Mellon University and get cash awards of Rs 1, 00, 000 and Rs. 70, 000 respectively, towards roundtrip airfare travel to USA. The finalists will also get an opportunity to interact directly with top-tier venture capitalists and entrepreneurs who can help turn their plans into reality.