The CU New Venture Challenge finals are this Friday, 3/12 beginning at 2pm in ATLAS 100 on the CU-Boulder Campus and are open to the public. Don’t miss the watching the top four teams pitch their business plans to a panel of judges including venture capitalists, angel investors and serial entrepreneurs.
Prizes include:

• 1st – $6,000
• 2nd – $3,000
• 3rd – $2,000
• Judges Choice – $250

Now in its second year, the CU New Venture Challenge is a campus-wide initiative connecting students and faculty with teammates in a broad range of disciplines and with mentors from the business community. The goal is to provide knowledge and experience making entrepreneurship accessible to anyone with the enthusiasm and creativity required to start a new business.

Highlights of the 2010 CU New Venture Challenge include:

• $15,000 in cash prizes
• More than 20 teams in fields ranging from information technology and Internet to music and outdoor recreation
• Dozens of mentors sharing their entrepreneurial experience with competition entrants
• Seven workshops and “crash courses” on topics such as intellectual property, economic sustainability, and how to build a company from concept to completion
• Networking events connecting CU students with employers and building a sense of community among Colorado entrepreneurs
• 145 Facebook members and 463 followers on Twitter
• At least one CU student, employee or faculty member per team