Entrepreneurial Organizations

• United States Small Business Administration
• Yahoo Small Business
• Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: The Foundation of Entrepreneurship
• The Wall Street Journal: Startup Journal

External Business Plan Competitions

• Online website list of all major (local and global) business plan competitions.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory presents Nano Nexus 2007.
• NASA sponsored student business plan competition: Lunar Ventures 2007.
• The William James Foundation: 2007 Sustainable Business Plan Competition.

Events

Global Venture Challenge 2008
April 2-4, 2008

at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Global Venture Challenge 2008 is a unique educational event designed to foster entrepreneurial spirit by engaging students, industry, government and the investment community in the discovery and development of innovative ideas. The ultimate goal is to encourage students to launch new technology-based businesses that can address the world’s energy crisis. Specific areas of interest include Energy Efficiency, Bioenergy, and other Renewable Energies.

At this event, you’ll be able to:

* Gain access to the world’s newest facilities and leading researchers in energy
* Meet future entrepreneurial leaders from stellar graduate schools as they compete in an Energy Idea to Product competition
* Get an early look at some exciting new energy companies and learn what venture capitalists expect from them
* Develop a network of energy “problem solvers” and potential partners
* Tour the state-of-the-art facilities of the nation’s largest science and energy laboratory

What is the Energy Idea to ProductR competition?

* Interdisciplinary student business competition
* $50,000 in total cash prizes
* Offering $25,000 cash prize for winning team
* Early stage technology commercialization plan: Innovative product ideas supported by a market need
* Judged by experienced energy executives, venture capitalists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and the legal profession
* 1-page initial student team applications due February 7, 2008

Examples of acceptable “energy” product ideas are:
* Energy Efficiency Technologies
* Bio Energy
* Renewable Energy Technologies
* Buildings (residential and commercial)
* Industrial
* Vehicles
* Cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels
* Gasification and other conversion technologies
* Biomass agribusiness
* Solar energy
* Wind energy
* Hydropower
* Geothermal
* Hydrogen, fuel cells and associated infrastructure

For more information and to register, visit www.globalventurechallenge.org.

R Idea to Product and I2P are registered trademarks of The University of Texas

Sponsorship Opportunities Available