Burrill business plan competition set for April 15

The G. Steven Burrill Technology Business Plan Competition, now in its eighth year, continues to attract visionary students with an interest in entrepreneurship from across the UW–Madison campus.

Teams of graduate and undergraduate students will showcase their business ideas on Friday, April 15, in Grainger Hall for a chance to win $22,000 in cash prizes.

Past teams have pitched plans to market and sell products including energy-saving fuels, medical devices, plastic picnic ware, sports equipment, food products, software, Web sites and more.

Business professor Anne Miner, who directs the competition and specializes in entrepreneurship, technology and innovation, said she was impressed at the number of teams participating.

“Taking an idea into the real world is very appealing to young, bright, action-oriented people,” she says. “Each year, this competition gets better at helping them do that.”

Nearly 200 students have participated in the technology business plan competition since it started in 1998. Hundreds more have connected with area professionals and faculty through seminars on topics such as marketing research, financial projections and intellectual property management.

Cross-campus teams will present their business plans to a panel of judges consisting of entrepreneurs, technology innovators and professionals financing start-ups.

Prior teams have leveraged the knowledge, experience and exposure gained from the competition to form successful new business ventures.

“Interesting enough, it isn’t always the winners who get the most out of the competition,” says Miner. “Former participants tell us it is the learning experience and the expert advice that gave them the most value as they actively pursue entrepreneurial goals in different ways and settings. Many want to create social value in addition to economic value.”

The competition is free and open to the public. Students, especially, are encouraged to attend, with drawings for door prizes including iPods to be awarded beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Team presentations run from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. in 3070 Grainger Hall.

The celebration of the student vision and energy will include free food and a band beginning at 5:15 p.m. Top prizes of $10,000, $7,000, $4,000 and $1,000 will be awarded at 5:45 p.m.