Participants Sought for Second Annual Technology Entrepreneur Competition

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo School of Management, the Henry A. Panasci Jr. Endowment and the UB Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach are seeking students and recent alumni to participate in the second annual Technology Entrepreneur Competition (TEC).

The purpose of the competition is to facilitate and promote the commercialization of UB-generated technologies. It also is designed to provide a mechanism for bringing students from different disciplines together with students from the School of Management to maximize their business and scientific potential and to create viable businesses in Western New York.

UB students and recent alumni with innovative ideas in the technology, life- sciences and engineering industries are invited to participate.

The prize package includes $25,000 in seed funding and one year of accounting and legal services.

Interested students and alumni who have graduated within the past two years are encouraged to attend an information session to be held from 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 1 in the Center for Tomorrow on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. TEC representatives and past winners will be available to answer questions. Register to attend the information session by sending an e-mail to mgt-cel@buffalo.edu.

Applications to participate in the competition are due by Feb. 1, 2005, and teams will be assigned mentors the week of Feb. 7. Each team will be required to submit a business plan by March 21. Judges will review the business plans and name up to five finalists by April 11. Each team in the finals will be required to give a PowerPoint presentation before a panel of judges on April 27. The winner will be announced that day, shortly after the final presentation.

Application materials and information about the competition can be accessed online at http:www.mgt.buffalo.edu/ced/cel/tec.shtm or by calling the UB Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at 716-645-3000.

The Technology Entrepreneur Competition is just one component of the School of Management's new Technology Entrepreneurship Program. The mission of the program is to facilitate understanding of the important business aspects in the commercialization of technology. The new program focuses on the school's initiatives in entrepreneurship education, particularly on creating and successfully managing new technology-based companies.