CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Technology Entrepreneur Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has announced the first-round winners in the first annual V. Dale Cozad Business Plan Competition. (Editors: See list.)
The competition, which began Aug. 30, attracted 38 teams comprising a total of 97 students from nine colleges and 21 departments at the university, as well as alumni, staff and faculty members, and students from other universities. Each team submitted a summary of a business plan for turning a technological innovation into a commercial venture.
Fourteen teams were selected to advance to the second round of the competition. The teams have until Nov. 3 to submit a complete business plan for their technology.
On Nov. 14, five teams will be selected to present their business plans to a panel of judges during the final round of the competition, which will be held Dec. 1 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the auditorium of the Computer and Systems Research Laboratory.
First prize is $12,000, second is $5,000, third is $2,000; two consolation prizes of $500 also will be awarded. Peter Fox and his wife, Kim, are sponsoring the competition. Fox is the founder and president of Fox Development Corp. Cozad, who was an area businessman, entrepreneur, and founder of Cozad Asset Management, died in 1993.
The Technology Entrepreneur Center in the department of general engineering was founded by the UI last spring. The center’s mission is to support engineering entrepreneurs in the development and growth of new businesses.
Team names and members
Alobe.com: Nathan Brochmann (1997 alumnus, finance); Mikhail Voloshin (computer science); Cedric Yau (computer science, economics)
Avalanche Survival Vest: Patrick Boys-Smith (aeronautical and astronautical engineering); Brad Durst (MBA program); Sean Reeder (MBA program); Lee Steffen (MBA program); Christina Vogel (MBA program)
ChroMax: Larry Markoski (Beckman staff); Julie Thompson (chemistry)
EduServe Inc.: Tim Brown (CBA); Chad Ruwe (electrical engineering)
Expert Engine Inc.: David Bateman (Eastern Illinois University student); Austin Fang (advertising); Devendra Hura (electrical and computer engineering); Jay Kesan (law faculty); Sebastian Magda (computer science); Sharad Mehrotra (computer science faculty); Richard Tsai; Gabriel Walter (electrical and computer engineering)
Flexible Light: Nels Ostrom (electrical engineering); Jason Tang (electrical engineering)
Floodware: Miranda Callahan (research scientist, NCSA); Young Min Cho (research programmer, NCSA); Dave Clutter (research programmer, NCSA); Cameron Jones (computer science); Justin Jurek (graphic design); Yong Bin Kim (computer science); John Krause (computer science); Noah Miller (computer science); Vivek Pinto (computer science); William Thompkins (assistant director, NCSA)
GUI Interface for Search Engines: David Choe (civil engineering); Daniel Kauwell (educational psychology doctoral candidate); Samuel Nissim (University of Iowa student); Nicholas Riordan (electrical engineering); Paul Tongyoo (electrical engineering)
Hypertech Inc.: Brett Nicholson (MBA program); Ibrahim Sendijarevic (chemistry)
i4 Inc.: Pengyu Hong (computer science); Danfeng Li (electrical and computer engineering); Yang Li (electrical and computer engineering); Ying Shen (MBA program); Sean Zhou (electrical and computer engineering); Qi Ding (accountancy)
Junicus: Rajiv Bansal (computer science); Sirisha Dinavahi (computer science); Munira Hussain (electrical engineering); Vinh Lam (computer science); Jeff Monks (electrical engineering); Mike Palac (electrical engineering); Jackie Wang (computer science)
MCIFace Inc.: Dahai Wang (MBA alumnus); Zhen Wen (computer science)
OpTech Assembly Inc.: Bruce Flachsbart (visiting research scientist); Robert Ge (business administration doctoral candidate); Katherine Hector (MBA program); Parker Scheuerman (MBA program); Purvesh Thakker (MBA program, master’s program in electrical engineering)
PhaseOptics LLC: Teodor Paunescu (postdoctoral candidate in molecular and integretive physiology); Remy Tumbar (electrical and computer engineering)
