NCET

Here at NCET, we’re very excited to announce that planning is underway for the 7th Annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition. Student registration for the Governor’s Cup is open through February 23, business plans are due March 23, with oral presentations delivered April 19, and the awards ceremony on April 20.

If you aren’t familiar with the program, the Governor’s Cup is a highly-anticipated annual event that brings together students from every Nevada college and university – public and private — all competing for nearly $100,000 in cash prizes. Perhaps the far more valuable “prize” in this competition is the experience itself – the opportunity to work with business and community leaders and educators to create innovative, forward-thinking new business concepts that could very well become reality. During the process, students have the opportunity to gain access to networks of successful entrepreneurs, lenders and investors as they learn team-building and business planning skills. While this competition is designed as an academic exercise, each year at least one team of students goes on to launch the business they created through their business plan. You can check out some of their stories by visiting www.ncet.org/ncet-success-stories.

New for the 2011 Governor’s Cup is the addition of mentors, local business professionals who are available to help Governor’s Cup teams with concept development, business plan creation and oral presentation preparations. We’ve very excited about this new aspect of the program, as we believe it will give students an exceptional inside look at how businesses get off the ground in a “real world” environment. Additionally, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award is back again this year with a cash prize of $5,000 to the business plan that best employs clean, renewable or efficient energy technologies and services.

Students from nearly every college and university in Nevada participate in the Governor’s Cup each year in both undergraduate and graduate divisions. If you’re a student, I strongly urge you to participate. If you know a college student, please pass along this information and encourage them to be part of the program. The rewards are tremendous!

Business plans previously entered and judged are eligible for re-entry into the 2011 competition. Winners go on to represent Nevada in the Tri-State Governor’ Cup and vie for additional cash prizes. In 2010, we saw 54 teams and 202 students participating – a 50 percent growth increase from when The Governor’s Cup was first introduced in Nevada. This event gets bigger and better every year, which can only translate to good things on the horizon for our state’s economy and our next generation of innovative business leaders.

For more information, visit www.NCETgovcup.org or contact Roxanne DeCarlo at Roxanne@NCET.org or (775) 853-4226.

NCET, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology is your resource for business success. Visit www.NCET.org for more information.