For the second year in a row, aspiring student entrepreneurs at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh will have an opportunity to showcase their ideas at an upcoming business model contest.
The contest will take place Feb. 26 at UW Oshkosh’s Sage Hall, room 1214, from 6 until 8 p.m.
The contest allows up to 10 students teams (read about the finalists here) to give a five minute presentation on their business idea to a panel of judges. The judging panel is comprised of four individuals who are either entrepreneurs or investors themselves including Kathy Seifert, former vice president of Kimberly Clark and one of Forbes’ top businesswomen in 2001.
The top three contest winners will receive cash grants to go towards their respective business ventures: $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place and $2,500 for third place. The contest is sponsored by the Alta Resources Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) in partnership with the College of Business and Small Business Development Center.
Contest winners also have the chance to apply for a business accelerator program that provides additional funding along with other resources including office space.
Rhodes“This is a start for anyone with a business idea to get some money, get some experience and get some mentors,” Jordan Rhodes, director at the Alta Resources CEI, said.” “It can really catapult their business.”
Rhodes took second place in the first contest and now serves as a consultant in the College of Business. His business, ActiveEDU, is a Web application that allows teachers to stream body weight exercise videos in their classroom through projectors and smartboards.
Rhodes encourages students who are interested in the contest to come see him before the application deadline on Feb. 15 so he can help them prepare. Applicants must be UW Oshkosh students, but only need a one credit course load to participate.
“If someone has an idea but doesn’t really know where to go with it, I can help out with that,” Rhodes said. “We can start to develop a business model canvas.”
Rhodes is also committed to offering his assistance for the finalists’ presentations.
Students can contact Rhodes through email or stop by his office in Sage Hall 1617.
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