Colorado State University’s College of Business Hosts Business Plan Competition with $11,500 in Prizes on April 18-19

With entrepreneurship courses at Colorado State University doubling in demand, the university’s College of Business is hosting the third annual Venture Adventure Business Plan competition April 18 and 19.

Twelve teams have signed up from three countries to compete for $11,500 in prize money. Undergraduate teams are traveling from as far as India to compete, as well as the following universities: University of Wisconsin in Madison; University of Michigan; Miami University in Ohio; University of Oregon; University of Arizona; Sierra Nevada College; University of Manitoba; University of Georgia; Maharashtra Institute of Technology of the University of Pune, India; Emory; Purdue University; and Colorado State.

Each team will submit a complete business plan to judges who will review the plans prior to the competition and score them based on the executive summary, company overview, product or service, market analysis, management team, operating strategies, financials and viability. Based on the written plan and first round presentations, four teams will be selected for the finals on April 19. The winners will be announced at an awards lunch with a special presentation by keynote speaker Kim Jordan, CEO of New Belgium Brewing.

"The Venture Adventure competition lies on the nexus of the Center’s mission," said Hunt Lambert, director of Colorado State’s Entrepreneurship Center. "Students get their closest look at the real world with cash prizes and a real opportunity to launch their own businesses."

The judges for the competition represent a wide array of prominent Front Range businesses and include Ron Schneider from Bank One; Mary Fischer from the Small Business Development Center; Joseph DiVerdi from XTR Systems; Dana Klausmeyer from the Center for Creative Solutions; Todd Kerr from Managed Business Solutions; Kevin Hartberg from Critical Dimensions; Monty Seitz, an independent consultant; Len Koch from Koch Consulting; John Greff, a partner at Sequel Venture Partners; Bob Hottman, managing partner of Ehrhardt, Keefe, Steiner & Hottman; Jan Horsefall from White Summit Strategies; Garnet Heraman from Aegis Partners; Frank Durham from Redstone Software; Joe Bell from the University of Northern Colorado; Ron Sherwood from Directed Energy; Bob Barcell from Centennial Group; and Karen Barsch, a partner at Faegre & Benson LLC.

The College of Business’ Entrepreneurship Center focuses on creating real-world learning experiences for students who aspire to become entrepreneurs through academic programs, the Great Entrepreneur Speaker Series, mentors for young entrepreneurs, encouraging new product realization and participating in the Colorado Front Range venture community.

For more information, contact Lambert or the Venture Adventure manager, Erica Trout, at (970) 491-6876 or visit www.biz.colostate.edu/cefe/.