Now in its 16th year, the Business Plan Competition is designed to bring interdisciplinary teams of students together to promote student start-up ideas and venture creation. Any degree-seeking college or university student in the state of Washington can submit his/her 5- to 7-page executive summary to the Competition.
To date, one hundred and five student teams have received seed funding of $1,332,000, many of which are still going strong, including: Contour, Epic Seats, Krochet Kids, Stockbox Grocers, NanoString Technologies, Cadence Biomedical, Brass Media, and Impel Neuropharma, just to name a few.
The competition takes place in April and May, and the deadline to enter is Monday, April 8 by 11:59 pm.
Top Reasons to Enter the 2013 UW Business Plan Competition!
· Make serious headway on that great idea you’ve been tossing around for months (or years!). In seven weeks you’ll refine everything from your executive summary and quick pitch to your full business plan and investor pitch.
· Gain visibility from the community—nearly 400 members of the Seattle entrepreneurial and investment community are involved in judging and coaching our competition.
· Build your network. Think about who can help you move forward. The judges are all from the wider Northwest entrepreneurial ecosystem.
· Get feedback. All submissions to the competition will be read by 8 to 10 judges, and every team will receive feedback, which will be aggregated and returned via email.
· Receive skilled coaching and mentoring from judges to prepare you for the competition (and beyond).
· Win money to jump-start your company! The Grand Prize is $25,000, and a total of $60,000 will be awarded to student teams in the competition.
· Apply for additional funding and coaching after the competition through the Jones Milestone/Foster Accelerator program. Teams will also receive expert coaching and mentorship as part of the program. Students graduating in June 2013 are encouraged to apply for this program.
Business Plan Competition Next Steps
1. Intent to Submit
BPC Early Registration Deadline: If you’re thinking of entering the UW Business Plan Competition, please complete the online Intent to Submit form by Monday, March 18. This will ensure that you receive all the up-to-date information about the 2013 BPC! Completing this form tells us important information about your team and idea, and helps us better plan for the event. (Please note: the Intent to Submit is just basic information, not your executive summary.) While it is optional to complete the form before March 18, you must submit it no later than April 8 in order to enter the competition. Access the form directly here: https://catalyst.uw.edu/webq/survey/asallin/189061
2. Deadline to Enter
Your 5–7 page executive summary is due on Monday, April 8, at 11:59 p.m. Be sure to review the submission checklist (includes judging criteria) and example executive summaries. Details to submit your 5- to 7-page executive summary will be posted soon!
If you have any questions about the Business Plan Competition, please let me know You can also find additional information by visiting our website.
Amy Sallin
Assistant Director
Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
Michael G. Foster School of Business
tel 206.685.9868 | asallin@uw.edu
Dempsey Hall 227, Box 353223, Seattle, WA 98195
startup.washington.edu
PS. Have you heard?! CIE is now the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship. Read our blog post at http://depts.washington.edu/foster/foster-announces-5-2-million-naming-gift-for-cie/
