Monday 1 August 2006
Seven outstanding commercialisation prospects have been selected to vie for $100,000 in seed capital in University of Queensland Business School's Enterprize competition.
Now in its sixth year, the lucrative business plan competition again attracted a quality field of entries with much discussion among the judges to come up with the final seven.
UQ Business School Head Professor Tim Brailsford said the finalists covered a wide range of business ideas.
He said, "The finalists range from GetCracking - a system to extend the life of concrete roads and make them cheaper to build - to a process for manufacturing transfusible neutrophils that could potentially save thousands of lives."
The finalists are GetCracking, Imprezzeo (image recognition software), PepFactants (technology break-through for industries using emulsions and foams), BioShield (vaccine for a virus that has devastated the aquaculture industry globally), Neutropharma (transfusible neutrophils), Ausonex (hearing test instrument that doubles speed of testing), and LanguageMap (cost-efficient way of testing English language skills).
Brailsford said the finalists would submit detailed business plans by 28 September and be interviewed by the judging panel on 4 October.
He said, "The final stage is Pitch Day where all the finalists pitch their idea to the judging panel and a packed house including much of Queensland's venture capital community."
"One of the most exciting things about last year's Pitch Day was to see all the finalists - not just winners Hydrexia and LEO Tuning - in deep conversation with potential investors at the after-party."
"Hydrexia won the $100,000 while LEO Tuning was awarded the i.lab prize - a 12 month tenancy in Queensland's technology incubator."
For tickets to Pitch Day on Friday 13 October contact Amy Hyslop on (07) 3365 8561 or e-mail a.hyslop@business.uq.edu.au.
Media enquiries:
Cathy Stacey
Marketing Development Manager
Phone (07) 3365 6179
Mobile 0434 074 372
Fiona Sutton
Mobile 0423 637 699
Email media@business.uq.edu.au
