College of Business at Colorado State to Host 16 Universities at Competition April 20-21

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Colorado State University’s College of Business will host Venture Adventure, a two-day business plan competition on Friday, April 20, and Saturday, April 21, in Rockwell Hall.

Sixteen universities throughout the country will compete for cash prizes at the seventh annual competition. Colorado State University placed third in last year’s competition.

Professors and instructors overseeing this year’s competition include Yolanda Sarason, Paul Hudnut and Dawn DeTienne from the College of Business.

Colorado State’s Venture Adventure competition gives undergraduate students the opportunity to present their ideas and plans for realistic, new business ventures to a panel of judges made up of entrepreneurs and investors. Teams receive feedback from the judging panel that offers insight into real-world entrepreneurial challenges and allows contestants to sharpen their business planning and presentation skills.

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, viability and innovation.

Round one of the competition is Friday. First-place winners for each track will advance to the finals on Saturday.

Five finalists will compete based on an oral presentation on Saturday. Winners will be announced at an awards luncheon in the Lory Student Center’s Cherokee Park Ballroom at noon on Saturday. The luncheon will include a special presentation by keynote speaker Chaun Sims, a member of CSU’s own Bright Light Innovations team.

More than half of last year’s competitors will return from last year’s competition. In addition to Colorado State, last year’s competitors included Syracuse University, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Michigan and the University of Arizona.

Companies and individuals who support the center and make the $25,000 event possible include Sequel Partners, Faegre & Benson Foundation, John Schaible, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Vista Ventures and Vector Marketing.

The College of Business’ Entrepreneurship Center focuses on creating real-world learning experiences for students who aspire to become entrepreneurs through academic programs and entrepreneurial mentoring. The center hosts programs such as the Great Entrepreneur Speakers Series, the Entrepreneur-in-Residence mentoring program and the Venture Adventure competition.

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