I’ve just received information about the 2009 Rice Business Plan Competition. The Rice Business Plan Competition is the largest and richest intercollegiate new venture competition in the world. Thirty-six of the top MBA and Graduate Schools from around the world will compete for over $675,000 in prizes at Rice University in Houston. The event is judged by over 170 venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, and leaders from the technology entrepreneurship community.
2009 Rice Business Plan Competition
Thursday – Saturday, April 16-18, 2009
Rice University, McNair Hall, Jones Graduate School of Management – Houston, Texas
More Information: www.alliance.rice.edu/rbpc
The competition is open to all graduate level teams from any university. Both U.S. and international teams can apply to compete. EVERY team that is accepted to compete is guaranteed to win cash prize money.
If you know of a graduate team or university that should compete, please encourage them to apply.
- Intent to Compete Deadline: Friday, February 13, 2009
- Executive Summary due: Friday. March 6, 2009, 5:00 PM CST
International schools can apply for early acceptance in January:
– January 5, 2009 – Deadline to submit Intent to Compete
– January 16, 2009 – Deadline to submit Executive Summary
– January 19, 2009 – Early acceptance invitations sent to international schools
Competition Prizes – Over $675,000 in total prizes
• $325,000 Grand Prize – including
$125,000 equity investment from The GOOSE Society of Texas
$100,000 investment sponsored by: Opportunity Houston and Greater Houston Partnership
$20,000 cash: Sponsored by: Kenda Capital & Shell
$80,000 in services
Ringing the bell at NASDAQ in New York City
• Over $475,000 in total cash prizes, plus over $200,000 in services awarded
• EVERY team accepted into the Rice competition is guaranteed to win at least one cash prize
Special Cash Prize Categories include:
• $20,000 – Dow Sustainability Award – sustainability & clean technology cash award
• $20,000 – NASA Earth/Space Life Science Innovation Award
• Information Technology Cash Award
• Energy Cash Award
• Medical Device Cash Award
• Life Science Cash Award
• Intellectual Property Cash Award
• Hispanic Business Plan Cash Award
• International Team Cash Award
Other Benefits include:
• Multiple opportunities to receive individual feedback & mentoring
• Largest, most-experienced judging panel
• Over 170 VC’s, early-stage investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders
• More leaders from the entrepreneurship community than any other competition
• Multiple Presentation Opportunities
• All teams are guaranteed to have at least four presentation opportunities
• Best facilities and hosting of any competition
• World-class Jones Graduate School of Management building at Rice
• Over 100 Rice student volunteers will act as hosts and guides
• Low-cost travel, centrally located
• Houston serves as hubs for Continental & Southwest Airlines with two major airports
• Discounted hotel rates & all meals provided for competitors
Who Is Eligible
• Full- or part-time graduate students: includes MBA, Masters, PhD, and MD candidates from all disciplines
• Teams with 2-5 team members (at least one team member must be a graduate student)
• Ventures must be "for profit" entities seeking outside equity capital
• Teams must be university-affiliated and have endorsement of a faculty member
Ventures must have no revenues or outside equity capital PRIOR to the start of current academic year
