First-Round

October 27, 2007

Marlina Duncan and Hendalee Wilson of Rexferral Creations approach the WPI Campus Center

Even the grey, wet, chilled morning air couldn’t dampen the spirits of nineteen entrepreneurial teams that trekked early to Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Campus Center to compete in our 14th annual WPI Venture Forum Business Plan Contest first round of eliminations.

Contestants from as far away as three hundred miles away traveled by bus, train, and car to present their Executive Summaries to judging teams of investors, attorneys, service providers, and entrepreneurs. Suited up and armed with smiles, enthusiasm, hope, guts, and know-how, our presenters conveyed championship-level passion for their technologies and ideas for new products and ventures to do everything from predicting mass trends, weaving education into the online gaming industry, delivering inhaled vaccinations, improving crosswalk safety, to diagnosing an automobile’s mechanical failures.

In the following few weeks, the contest committee has the daunting task of selecting three teams to compete at the November 13, 2007 Business Plan Contest. It will be a particularly challenging this year as I overheard several judges saying that "all of these companies have potential".

So, what will it take to become a finalist for November 13? As one of the judges stated early in the game, "I think the default is - the company most likely to succeed - the company most likely to attract the management talent, capital, strategic partners and ultimately customers to be successful." Isn’t that always the way...

In closing, we would like to thank the contest committee co-chairs, Brian M. Dingman and Will Cowen for their attention to the details of planning the day. They, as well as the WPI Venture Forum staff and volunteers, wish all of our presenters the best of luck! Continue developing and improving your venture ideas. Saturday was your day in the sun.

Again, Good Luck - and we will see three teams in November! Teams will be notified of their status and will also receive constructive feedback from the judging panels

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Last modified: Nov 19, 2007, 08:12 EST