If you have a prospective business, now’s the time to decide if you have that entrepreneurial drive in the Anderson School of Management’s annual Business Plan Competition (BPC) set for next spring.

The UNM Business Plan Competition is a seven-month program that helps students become entrepreneurs and launch their businesses. Registration to participate in the UNM Business Plan Competition program opened Friday, Oct. 6 and closes Friday, Feb. 2.

If your team is considering participating in the BPC, you must register online. The competition and awards banquet takes place Friday, April 20, at Crowne Plaza Albuquerque.

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The competition will consist of two tracks including the Technology Track and the Entrepreneurial Track. The prizes, subject to change, follow:

Technology Track
First Place: $25,000, Los Alamos National Laboratory Prize
Second Place: $20,000, Sandia National Labs/Technology Ventures Corporation Prize
Third Place: $15,000 Van Dyke Software Prize

Peacock Myers, P.C. (Patent & Intellectual Property Lawyers) will provide up to 5 hours of legal services regarding IP Strategy and Patent Applications for all teams registered to compete in Technology Ventures track.

Perry Bendicksen from the Rodey Law firm will provide $3,500 of legal services to the first prize winner.

Kameron Kramer from the Albuquerque Law Office will provide $3,500 of legal services for the second prize winner.

Entrepreneurial Track
First Place: $10,000 City of Albuquerque 1st Place Prize
Second Place: $5,000 Hartman Publishing 2nd Place Prize
Third Place: $2,500 Albuquerque Journal 3rd Place Prize

Kameron Kramer from the Albuquerque Law Office will provide $3,500 of legal services for the first prize winner. All cash prizes are awarded by a check made out to the business venture name.

The competition is open to students enrolled in at least three (3) credit hours during the Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 academic semesters at any branch of UNM, NMSU, CNM and NM Tech.

Teams must have between 2 to 5 members (single-member teams are not eligible). Click here for full details on rules and regulations.

Students who want to earn academic credit for their work on a business plan that participate in the UNM Business Plan Competition can register for an independent study with a professor in their department. Make sure that the professor contacts Professor Suleiman “Sul” Kassicieh, via email sul@unm.edu.

The UNM Business Plan Competition has three participation milestones you must complete in order to compete. For a list, visit Milestones.

In addition to the three milestones entrepreneurial students are strongly encouraged to attend the entrepreneurial bootcamps that will provide you critical information needed in the development of your business plan.

A complete schedule of activities and deadlines is available online.

For more information, email Alberto Solís, albertos@unm.edu.