Big Idea Competition deadline is Dec. 15

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The deadline to enter the 2016 Big Idea Gator Business Plan Competition, which will award a $25,000 grand prize, is Dec. 15.

Competitors must submit their “Intent to Compete Form” by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 15. The form only requires contact information for the individual or team leader, their UF status (undergraduate, graduate or alumnus) and a brief description of their proposed venture or concept.

Eligible teams must have at least one full-time, enrolled UF student (2015-16 academic year) who has a meaningful equity stake and leadership role in the venture as a member. Students who do not have a team, but are interested in collaborating with others, may submit a form to join an existing team.

The deadline for submitting drafts of final business plans is April 7, 2016. The competition’s 16 semifinalists will be announced on April 11, and they will make their presentations on April 21. The top four teams advance to the finals on April 22.

The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center will work with contestants on developing their ideas into complete business plans through its Business Plan Lab, which is open to all UF students and can be taken for course credit. Judges will review the plans based on concept strength, market, economics of the business, operations, management team and financing.

In addition to the $25,000 first-place prize, second place will receive $10,000 and third place will receive $5,000.

The Big Idea Gator Business Plan Competition, now in its third year, is hosted by the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center at the Warrington College of Business. More than 200 individuals and teams entered last year’s competition, which was won by Tatiana Salazar—a doctoral student of genetics and genomics at the UF Genetics Institute, whose veterinary medical startup focused on stem cell therapy for competitive horses.

To register or learn more, visit Big Idea Gator Business Plan Competition.