University Business Plan Competitions

With a record-setting $1 million in prizes at stake, student entrepreneurs competing at Rice University are determined to make the grade

This year’s group of semi-finalist companies was particularly diverse, representing the fields of consumer Internet, materials, energy, mobile payments, imaging, medical devices, and health diagnostics.

There were 26 teams that competed this year from universities throughout the state of Montana. Here is a list of the winners and some information about participating teams.

This year, 15 teams competed in three tracks: innovative ventures, small business and internal University of Idaho revenue enhancement.

Some very powerful new businesses are appearing at business plan contests, winning significant money, attracting investors, getting funded, and turning into real businesses.

Some schools are giving their entrepreneurial students a serious advantage through business plan competitions.

At the recent Rice University Business Plan Competition in Houston, two judges, both seasoned venture investors, riffed with Fortune on the state of today’s venture capital market, and what they look for in a business pitch.

The mission of the Montana Business Plan Competition is threefold: to provide a positive educational experience in which students receive feedback and advice from experienced business professionals, to foster economic growth through the creation of new businesses in Montana, and to provide a forum for students to interact with the community.

If a school really wanted to create some buzz, what about launching an initiative that actually helped students become better entrepreneurs, rather than just write good business plans?

What will he do with profits?

"The plan will be to give back to Tech," Whaley said. "I love this school and I bleed gold and black. I want to help them change other people’s lives."