Teams to vie for $200,000 in prizes at annual Rice University Business Plan Competition

Teams to vie for $200,000 in prizes at annual Rice University Business Plan Competition

Thirty-six teams from top MBA programs will hit the Rice University campus April 7-9, competing for more than $200,000 in prizes at the annual Rice University Business Plan Competition, hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship and Rice’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management.

The three-day event, the largest intercollegiate business plan competition in the United States, is designed to simulate the real-world process of entrepreneurs soliciting start-up funds from early stage investors and venture capital firms. Among the spoils to the victors are an investment opportunity of $100,000 for the grand-prize winner, $70,000 in cash that will be distributed among at least 20 teams and the opportunity to advance to the international finals of the MOOT CORP competition. More than $30,000 in in-kind prizes will be awarded to the seven finalist teams.

Teams attending the competition have the opportunity to meet and network with more than 100 venture capital principals, early stage investors, successful entrepreneurs and senior business leaders, who will serve as judges. Participating at the invitation of the Rice Alliance and functioning as venture capital investors, the judges will decide which business ventures they would most likely fund. Last year, more than 110 judges participated, the most of any business plan competition.

The event will be held at the Jones School, with the final-round competition Saturday followed by an awards banquet featuring keynote speaker Bob McNair, owner of the Houston Texans and founder of Cogen Technologies.

More information on the competition is available at <www.alliance.rice.edu/alliance/RBPC.asp>.