News Releases

Students Compete for $25,000 in Business Start-Up Costs

April 9, 2007

Student entrepreneurs will be pitching their business ideas -- ranging from production of foul weather gear for the sailboat racing market to development of remote sensing equipment – in the hopes of winning $25,000 in services to help them start their businesses.

The winning team in the 2007 USM Student Business Plan Competition will be announced this Wednesday morning, April 11, at a meeting of the USM Corporate Partners.  The competition, which is hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship in USM's School of Business in cooperation with USM Corporate Partners, allows student teams to create and develop an original business idea into a solid business plan in the hopes of winning $10,000 in cash and $15,000 in consulting services to start their business venture.  The five semi-finalist teams will be on hand to describe their business plans.

Now in its sixth year, the 2006-2007 competition attracted 31 teams, comprised of 79 students from USM; University of Maine in Orono; University of Maine at Farmington; University of Maine at Machias; and Southern Maine Community College.

TIME: 7:15 to 8:45 a.m., this Wednesday, April 11. (Program starts at 7:45 a.m.)

PLACE: Hannaford Lecture Hall, USM Abromson Community Education Center, Bedford St., Portland.

MORE INFO: Bob Caswell or Judie O’Malley of USM Public Affairs, 780-4200 or Valarie Lamont, associate dean/director, USM School of Business Center for Entrepreneurship, 780-5919.

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