Student Entrepreneurs Turn Ideas into Ventures

November 17, 2000 Austin, TX—On November 30, 13 teams from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin will participate in the annual Texas Moot Corp^® Competition. The Competition has become an annual rite of passage for young entrepreneurs.

The Competition simulates the process of entrepreneurs soliciting start-up funds from investors. Students get a chance to assemble a management team, finalize their business plan and practice their pitch to investors. In return, they get unfiltered feedback plus a chance to win cash and services to help get their venture off the ground.

Teams competing in two of the three divisions are pitching Internet-related ventures. Venture ideas range from software solutions and web services to wardrobe consulting and dog daycare. The quality of the idea, the strength of the management team and the clarity and persuasiveness of the written plan and oral presentation all influence the judges’ decisions.

“This year the quality of our teams is exceptional; one of them is already producing revenues. I anticipate that several of these teams will be in business this time next year,” said Dr. Gary M. Cadenhead, Moot Corp^® Director.

The winning team earns a free year in the Austin Technology Incubator, a spot in the prestigious International Moot Corp^® Competition and $5,000 in prize money plus a wealth of industry and venture capital contacts. This year, the winning team also receives an Advisory Board Strategy and Assembly Services from TheBoard.com with a value of $25,000. The winning Internet team receives a Joint Application Development Session and White Paper from EnFORM Technology valued at $20,000.

The public is invited to view the Competition, which begins at 3:30 PM on Thursday, November 30 in the College of Business Administration at UT. The three divisions will run simultaneously in GSB 3.130, GSB 5.142 and CBA 4.348. The finals will be held on December 7 at 4 PM in GSB 3.130.

The Texas Moot Corp^® Competition is hosted by the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. The McCombs School of Business is one of the top 20 business schools in the country. Both the graduate and undergraduate programs have been consistently ranked among the top schools of business by US News & World Report and Business Week for the past decade. The McCombs School is a leading innovator in technology, entrepreneurship and globalization education. Visit www.bus.utexas.edu or www.mootcorp.org for more information.

EnFORM Technology is one of the fastest growing consulting firms providing strategic end-to-end digital solutions. The company is organized around four business units: Ventures, Interactive, Solutions and Hosting. EnFORM serves clients through the full digital lifecycle by offering business model development, interactive branding and creative design, rapid systems development and hosting services. Contact EnFORM Technology at www.enform.com.

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