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Entrepreneur Conference Set

By Kari Johnson
UW-RF New Bureau

APRIL 22, 2005--The first annual Young Entrepreneurs Conference will be April 29- 30 at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Hagestad Student Center.

Established by a grant from the Excel Energy Foundation, the conference gives industrious students and budding entrepreneurs the opportunity to take part in a business plan competition.

Students from all majors and disciplines throughout the UW System were invited to register in March for the two-day competition. Competing students submitted an executive summary and final business plan in April. On April 29-30, teams will present their posters and business plans to the judges and community members.

The conference begins April 29 at 4 p.m. with the poster presentation. At 6 p.m. President and CEO of Magenic Technologies Greg Frankenfield will speak.

On Saturday, the conference begins at 8 a.m. with the presentation of each teams' business plan at 8:30. During lunch from 11:45 to 1 p.m., a panel will discuss "Narrowing the Niche: Getting Focused." Following lunch are two breakout sessions on the topics of "Finding Resources" and "Financing Alternatives." The closing ceremony and award presentation will begin at 2:30 p.m.

Awards will be given out for the best poster, best written business plan, best business plan presentation and best overall business plan. The best overall business plan winner will receive the traveling Lydecker Award, sponsored by the St. Croix and Pierce County Economic Development Corporations.

The purpose of the conference is to bring together UW students, faculty, entrepreneurs and business people. The conference gives students the opportunity to find out what goes into a successfully business plan, to share ideas with leading business executives and entrepreneurs, to network with business-minded individuals from all over Wisconsin and to represent their UW institution.

For more information, contact assistant Professor Jude Rathburn at 715/425-3335.

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Last updated: Tuesday, 26-Apr-2005 12:06:30 CDT