In this Issue
	2004 Global MOOT CORP Competition Biosensor Technology Wins $100,000 in Texas MOOT CORP Competition Private Concepts Receives Patent McCombs Teams Place in Business Plan Competitions Save the Date and Plan to Attend - 2004 Global MOOT CORP Competition

Biosensor Technology Wins $100,000 in Texas MOOT CORP Competition

The Chipotle Business Group, an MBA team with plans to commercialize a unique electronic chemical sensor technology, beat out four other teams on Feb. 5, to win the Texas MOOT CORP® Competition. Chipotle's chemical sensor technology, a biosensor for wastewater applications, was developed several years ago by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin. Chipotle will commercialize technology developed and patented under the guidance of Dr. John T. McDevitt, a professor in the university's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. McDevitt 's research group specializes in "taste chip" technology that simplifies and speeds environmental water testing. Current water quality testing procedures, while accurate, tend to be expensive, time- consuming, and dependent on highly skilled personnel and large, complex equipment. In contrast, taste chip technology can be packaged in a disposable cartridge and processed in a handheld device, making on-site testing and immediate results possible. Five McCombs team members worked on the business plan for commercializing a wastewater application of the taste chip technology: Sridhar Pushpavanam, Jim Farrell, Joe Zirnhelt, Tracey Ayre and Scott Evans. All five will graduate this spring from the school's Option II Executive MBA Program. This is the second time that a team of MBAs attempting to commercialize an aspect of the biosensor has won the Texas round of MOOT CORP®. In 1998, a team built a winning business plan around the same technology, but their venture faltered when the students ran into obstacles with licensing. Over the last two years, the University's Office of Technology Commercialization has worked on licensing issues and pursued other efforts to smooth the process of bringing campus-developed technologies to market. Through its work, the university now has a backlog of 80 technologies that would-be entrepreneurs can review for commercialization. To Read the Full Article, Click Here »

Private Concepts Receives Patent

Private Concepts, the winner of the 2002 Global MOOT CORP Competition and the Texas MOOT CORP Competition, has secured the patent for the Pevlon Home Cervical Cancer Screen as of March 9. The revolutionary device may replace the Pap smear as a cervical cancer test for women. Private Concept's device, invented by Dr. Patrick Peveto, allows women to comfortably and conveniently self-administer the exam in the privacy of their homes. Currently, women must visit their OB-GYN and undergo a painful, uncomfortable pelvic exam. There is no cure for cervical cancer, which each year kills 5,000 women nationally and 200,000 worldwide. Women diagnosed with cervical cancer have a one in three chance of survival, which makes a yearly screen imperative. Private Concepts plans to begin clinical trials in April.

McCombs Teams Place in Business Plan Competitions

Three teams from the McCombs School of Business placed as finalists in competitions held recently. uShip won first runner-up in the 15th Annual Venture Challenge held at San Diego State University. TransPharmx was a finalist in the first McGinnis Venture Competition at Carnegie Mellon. The Chipolte Business Group was a finalist in the fourth annual Rice University International Business Plan Competition. All three teams were among the five finalists in this year's Texas MOOT CORP Competition. The uShip team is composed of four second-year students--Matt Chasen, Jay Manickam, Mickey Millsap and Todd Parsapour-whose start-up is uShip, a company that offers "ridesharing for your stuff." That is, it matches cargo with drivers who have excess capacity on routes all around the country via patent- pending route deviation search technology. uShip (www.uship.com) made its official launch on March 1 and the early results have exceeded their wildest expectations. With limited marketing, they already have over 550 members, 60+ shipments listed, and have completed 12 transactions. uShip initially expected their model to be limited to lower cost shipments in a limited geographic area, but their very first transaction was a $900 shipment of three beds and a dresser from Texas to Pennsylvania. uShip is looking to close a $500k round by May to scale their marketing and technology infrastructure. The TransPharmx team was a finalist in the first ever McGinnis Venture Competition hosted by Carnegie Mellon on March 11 - 13. TransPharmx has a patented transmucosal drug delivery system that enables development of cheaper, more effective, convenient and competitive medications. The TransPharmx Transmucosal Drug Delivery System is a bioadhesive, biodegradable film in the form of a small patch that will be used to deliver drugs, primarily through the upper- gum area of the mouth. The patch will be loaded with a pharmaceutical that will be delivered in a time-relapsed dose as the patch dissolves against the gum surface. The TransPharmx team, consisting of Chris Belew, Dave Conrad, Bryan Jones and Jay Valanju, are seeking $3 million Series A financing. This will allow TransPharmx to complete FDA pre-clinical trials for their first target drug and hire management personnel. The Chipolte Business Group was one of the seven finalists in the Rice University Internationl Business Plan Competition on March 27. Thirty six teams of MBAs from around the world competed.

Save the Date and Plan to Attend - 2004 Global MOOT CORP Competition

May 6 - 8, 2004 - Venture Showcase, May 6 and Opening Rounds, May 7 - Finals, May 8 Hewlett-Packard Calculators will once again be hosting the Venture Showcase on Thursday, May 6 during the 21st MOOT CORP Competition. At the Venture Showcase, all teams competing in the Global MOOT CORP Competition will have a table to display their venture. Team members will be available to discuss their technology and launch strategies. This is an opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of the ideas coming from MBAs at the top Business Schools literally from around the world. The Venture Showcase will be held in the ballroom of the Omni Hotel, 700 San Jacinto, from 6 PM - 7:30 PM. If at all possible, we encourage you to attend this enjoyable event. Hewlett Packard will be launching its new HP 17bII+ menu-driven financial calculator as well as displaying its full range of financial, graphing and scientific calculators. Of special interest is HP's new, free PC emulator trial software that gives teachers and professors a mouse- controlled, on-screen replica of a completely functional HP calculator. This is a new teaching aid being offered exclusively to educators who can sign up for the program and receive a related calculator when they meet program requirements. Faculty will appreciate this technology as a PC can be connected to a projector to show the class how to use the calculator and check answers.