22nd Annual John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition on May 12.

The School of Business Administration at The University of Montana will host the 22nd Annual John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition on Thursday, May 12, in UM’s Gallagher Business Building. The event showcases the entrepreneurial aspirations of students across the state.

Faculty from higher education institutions across Montana will identify 30 teams to be considered for the competition. A distinguished group of judges will then select and invite 15 teams to compete in the semifinal round. This year the teams will be competing for thousands of dollars in prize money.

The prestigious panel of judges consists of venture capitalists, angel investors, bankers, successful entrepreneurs and corporate executives. They will offer feedback on the business plans chosen for the semifinal round, which begins at 5 p.m. and is free and open to the public. During the round, judges will narrow the field to four finalist teams who will present to a larger audience.
The judges are business leaders with a wide spectrum of professional expertise, which makes for an atmosphere charged with the energy of information exchange and enthusiastic discussion. The semifinal round will be an exciting competition as the audience chooses their favorite competitor for the People’s Choice Award. Appetizers and beverages will be served throughout the evening.

The business ideas and educational experience of the competition help to make Montana a stronger economic force in the future.

For more information visit http://www.business.umt.edu/degreesprograms/MADE.aspx, call Larae Hackney, UM School of Business Administration special events coordinator, at 406-243-4830 or email [email protected].