First Round
October 17, 2009
Qualified first round presenters will arrive as early as 8:30 a.m. at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Campus Center on October 17, 2009 to make 15-minute presentations to seasoned judges in the WPI Venture Forum's 17th annual Business Plan contest. Presentation areas are high quality private tech suites. All audio visual equipment is provided. Microsoft 2007 is installed on the laptops. Presenters receive an additional 15 minutes to answer judges' questions after their presentations.
In the few weeks between presentations and the actual November 10, 2009 contest, the planning committee has the daunting task of narrowing the field of applicants. It is a particularly challenging decision, as the economy in 2009 has created so many new opportunities in the high tech industry.
So, what does it take to become a finalist? As one of our returning judges stated early in the game two years ago, "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 the truth? Do enough people want your product or service?
In advance of this important day, we thank this year's applicants; the Contest committee members: Brian M. Dingman, Will Cowen, Jeremie Spitzer, and George Burdick; and the great folks at the WPI Campus Center that make sure the logistics flow smoothly. (The free coffee and bagels are really great, too.)
Good luck to everyone and we will see the finalist teams in November. Teams will be notified of their status and will also receive constructive feedback from the judging panels.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: October 01, 2009 14:28:55