If you’ve got a promising business concept, there’s a chance for you to earn up to $50,000 in seed money and services.
That’s the first-place prize in Economic Development Edmonton’s (EDE) new contest for budding entrepreneurs. Two second-place winners will each receive $20,000 in cash and services.
“Greater Edmonton is well known for the vibrancy of its high-tech entrepreneurial community and VenturePrize represents another step forward for that group,” said Allan Scott, president and CEO of EDE.
In addition to the cash prizes, VenturePrize will offer all contestants these opportunities:
* Six business-planning seminars conducted by the University of Alberta School of Business.
* Assistance in forming working teams to prepare a business plan for the contest.
* Experienced mentors to offer advice on business plan and implementation strategies.
To be eligible for the contest, teams must have a high-growth business concept and have at least one member who lives, works or attends school in Greater Edmonton.
Matrikon Inc. is one of the companies lined up to mentor contest entrants.
“It’s a great opportunity for both mentors and the budding entrepreneurs to grow personally and professionally as today’s entrepreneurs become tomorrow’s big business leaders,” said Matrikon president and CEO Nizar Somji.
The competition is an initiative of the Greater Edmonton Competitiveness Strategy, a regional economic plan to expand the area’s eight industry clusters.
Key sponsors of the contest include EDE, the Edmonton Capital Region Innovation Centre, the Edmonton Journal, the University of Alberta, ATCO Gas, e-business tutor, Field Atkinson Perraton, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Turnkey Management Consulting and Western Economic Diversification.
The VenturePrize Business Plan Competition runs from November 2002 through March 2003. More information can be found at www.ventureprize.com
