COLLEGE VENTURE CHALLENGE:

The Central PA College Venture Challenge is a business plan competition for college students and is an excellent opportunity to sharpen business skills and improve business plans before launching a company. The competition provides feedback from business experts and awards cash prizes for the best business plans. Applications to enter competition are due January 16th 2008. Concept papers about your business idea are due by February 7th, 2008. Concept paper guidelines. Should your concept paper be approved, full business plans are due by March 17th, 2008. Final selections to present will be made by April 9 th, 2008.

The CVC Learning Seminar will be held January 23rd from 9:30-1:30 at the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. Jill Edwards, Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum and Chris Rockey, PNC Bank will be speakers for the event. Topics will include: business plan structuring, financial statements, marketing, and competitive analysis. There is no cost to attend the event. To register, please email Brian Reilly at BReilly@hbgrc.org.

 Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be an undergraduate or graduate student registered full- or part-time for the Fall 2007 or Spring 2008 semester at an institution in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin , Lancaster , Lebanon or York County .
• Business concept must be a realistic, actionable, innovative and marketable idea.
• Individuals or groups may participate.
• It is highly recommended that teams seek a faculty advisor.

Prizes

Graduate

• First place -$5,000, plus an advisory panel of area business leaders will assist with further development of your business venture. In addition you may qulify to receive start-up seed money from the Ben Franklin Technology Partners.
• Second place - $2,000

Undergraduate

• First place - $2,000, plus an advisory panel of area business leaders will assist with further development of your business venture.
• Second place - $1,000
• Third place - $500

2007 CVC Winners

Undergraduate First Place - Ergatai Metering – Messiah College

Undergraduate Second Place – Nayamka’s Art Gallery – Harrisburg Area Community College

Graduate Winner - – Zebrafish Mutant Laboratories – Penn State College of Medicine

For all inquiries or for more information please contact Brian Reilly, 717.213.5046 or BReilly@hbgrc.org. More details are also available inside the Start Me Up section

__________________________________________________________

For more information on the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC), contact Linda Goldstein, Vice-President,COO, 3211 North Front Street, Suite 201, Harrisburg, PA 17110-1342, (717)213-5031 or lgoldstein@hbgrc.org