Global Venture Challenge 2008 http://www.globalventurechallenge.com/ is an educational event designed to foster entrepreneurial spirit by engaging students, industry, government and the investment community in the discovery and development of innovative ideas.
The ultimate goal is to encourage students to launch new technology-based businesses that can improve the well-being of the world. Specific areas of interest include Bioenergy, and Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energies. Global Venture Challenge 2008 builds on a successful event held at Oak Ridge last year that focused on nanotechnology. Fifteen interdisciplinary graduate school teams from the U.S. and the United Kingdom presented business ideas and competed for a $25,000 cash prize. Additionally, nanotechnology investors met with start-up companies from across the southeastern U.S.
The focus of this year’s event is on energy, one of the world’s most critical issues. Graduate school teams from across the globe are being recruited to develop unique and innovative product ideas that can solve existing market needs and have the potential to become sustainable businesses. We will again utilize the Idea to Product ® competition model, which identifies market-viable technologies faster than traditional business plan competitions. Team submissions will be judged by diverse panels consisting of experienced energy executives, venture capitalists, technologists, entrepreneurs and the legal profession.
Another feature of the event is the Energy Venture Showcase which highlights selected start-up companies and gives them the opportunity to interact with industry and the investment community. Not only will these companies receive valuable advice for furthering their businesses, but entrepreneurial students will see first-hand what will be required of them as they launch their businesses.
The Global Venture Challenge 2008 will be hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a world-leader in energy research, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. All participants will learn more about ORNL’s capabilities in both research and applied science and can tour the most advanced scientific facilities in the world. It’s a perfect setting to find every resource needed to do collaborative research and development, manufacture prototypes, support new business start-ups or build full-scale manufacturing facilities. In one place – from conception to marketplace – everything in the revolution of energy is here.
Full Site: http://www.globalventurechallenge.com/