Colorado State Encourges Business Undergraduates to Think Big in First Annual Business Plan Competition

Rockwell Hall will rock with new ideas when Colorado State University’s College of Business hosts its first Venture Adventure business plan competition on April 28 and 29.

Hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurial and Family Enterprises at Colorado State, the Venture Adventure competition gives undergraduate students the opportunity to present their plans for realistic new venture creations to a panel of judges composed of real entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and banking executives. The depth and breadth of the critique will give competing students insights into the competitive world of entrepreneurial challenges and allow them to sharpen their business plan skills.

"The feedback the teams will get from the judging panel is really valuable," said Professor Anne McCarthy, director of CEFE. "The panel will judge all components of the business plan-market potential, competitor analysis, operational strategy and potential financial viability-as well as the quality and comprehensiveness of the presentation."

Teams submitted their business plans for consideration on April 14. Competitors include teams of up to four students from the University of Arizona, the University of Manitoba, Loyola Marymount University, the University of Nebraska, San Diego State University, the University of North Dakota and Colorado State University.

Plans to be presented include diverse ideas such as bee pollination, pawn brokering for industrial heavy equipment, post-crime cleanup and fleet management services.

"We are really pleased with the level of participation in our first year, but more importantly, we are thrilled to be a part of making these students’ dreams become a reality," McCarthy said. "Many of these students are ready to get their businesses off the ground, and the prize money will help raise their initial capital."

Student teams who participate will be competing for a first-place prize of $5,000. Second-place winners will receive $2,000 and third place will receive $1,000. Additionally, all remaining teams will receive $300. All participants will attend the awards luncheon where the results of the competition will be announced.

Primary sponsors include Managed Business Solutions of Fort Collins and the Associated Students of Colorado State University. Additional sponsors include McWhinney Enterprises, Loveland; New Centuries Energies, Denver; ColoradoBiz magazine, Denver; the city of Fort Collins; Holland & Hart, Attorneys at Law, Denver; The Centennial Group, Denver; Hughes, Levine & Methuen, Inc., C.P.A.s, Englewood.

For more information, contact CEFE at (970) 491-6876, send e-mail to ecenter@lamar.colostate.edu or visit the Web at www.biz.colostate.edu/cefe.