MADISON – Twenty-six entries from 16 communities are competing in the finalist round of the fourth annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, contest producers announced Wednesday.
The contestants have survived two rounds of judging in the contest organized through the Wisconsin Technology Council, which is producing the contest in conjunction with its membership subsidiary, the Wisconsin Innovation Network, the Wisconsin Angel Network and other statewide affiliates. The contest began in late January with nearly 300 entries statewide.
“Not only was the quantity of entries up this year, but so is the quality,” said Mark Bugher, chairman of the Tech Council. “The business plans in the final round reflect some of Wisconsin’s core technology strengths, as well as the fact that entrepreneurs can be found in all corners of the state.”
The 26 remaining plans include ideas for products or services in energy generation or conservation, “green” building, disease management, information technology systems and security, drug research and production, nanotechnology products and personal safety.
Contestants have submitted a 20-page business plan for review by a panel of 65 judges established by the Tech Council, which is the independent, non-profit and non-partisan science and technology adviser to the Governor and the Legislature. Each plan describes the core product or service, defines the customer base, estimates the size of the market, identifies competition, list members of the management team and provides key financial data.
The finalists’ executive summaries as well as those filed by semi-finalists are available for inspection by accredited investors through the Wisconsin Angel Network, which has 24 member angel networks, private equity funds or corporate strategic partners.
More than $160,000 in cash and in-kind prizes have been pledged for the 2007 contest thus far; first prize in the statewide contest will be worth at least $50,000 in cash and services. Prize winners will be announced June 12-13 at the annual Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee.
Cities with finalists in the contest are: Appleton, DePere, Greenville, Hubertus, Kaukauna, Madison, Marshfield, Menomonee Falls, Milwaukee, Montello, Oconomowoc, Oneida, Pleasant Prairie, Sheboygan, Shorewood and Wauwatosa. Entries were submitted in four categories: Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, Information Technology and Life Sciences.
Reporters wishing to contact individual contestants or learn more about their plans should contact Tom Still or Joe Kremer at 608-442-7557.
Sponsors thus far for the 2007 BPC are: Aberdean Consulting LLC, American Transmission Co., Associated Bank, Axley Brynelson LLP, The Boldt Company, CG Schmidt Co, Foley & Lardner LLP, J.P. Cullen & Sons, Johnson Block CPAs; Loughrin Accounting & Tax Service, Madison Gas & Electric Co., Makin’ HEY! Communications, Mason Wells Private Equity, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Quarles & Brady LLP, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.,
Smith & Gesteland LLP, State of Wisconsin Investment Board, University Research Park, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, WisBusiness.com, Wisconsin Angel Network, Wisconsin Realtors Association, Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, and the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Finalists are:
AMW NF Nonwovens (nanotech products) Bob Waldron Appleton
DLJ Solutions/Benequant (health data) Deb Matz Appleton
Bayland LLC (green building materials) CJ Schmidt De Pere
LogCentric (data “mining” and analysis) Dan Nickchen Greenville
Household Energy Use Monitor Brad Rake Hubertus
Elimanure (turning manure to energy) Paul Schneider Kaukauna
Staff Management Systems (web-based staffing Cheryl Vickroy Madison
Extract Systems/ID Shield (identity theft protection) David Rasmussen Madison
Health Innovation Technologies, Inc. (optometry) Scott Jens Madison
JotChat (personal information manager) Karen Blaedow Madison
ProSentinel Prostate Cancer Vaccine Benjamin Lap Madison
Stemina Biomarker Discovery (drug screening) Elizabeth Donley Madison
WindLift LLC (wind energy) Robert Creighton Madison
10H Inc. (microscope sample handling) Mark Nelson Marshfield
SiteHound Inspection Software (building inspection) Dave Neuman Menomonee Falls
Promentis Pharmaceuticals (anti-psychotic drugs) David Baker Milwaukee
Donate A Card (redeeming unused gift cards) George Holtz Milwaukee
Fahlgreen Solutions (biometric identification) Susanne Kufahl Montello
Vector Surgical (cancer surgical tools) Janet Phillips Oconomowoc
Stealth Therapeutics (cancer surgery access port) Bradley Glenn Oneida
NIR Inspection System (pharmaceutical process) Joseph Trygar Pleasant Prairie
Package Filling System (pharmaceutical process) Kimberly Trygar Pleasant Prairie
Medication Liquefier Manufacturing System Kimberly Trygar Pleasant Prairie
Muth Global Vision (night driving aid) Kristi Lawrence Sheboygan
JunTech (video surveillance tracking system) Jun Zhang Shorewood
Cardiopoietis (heart disease drugs) John Baker Wauwatosa
