Howard J. Leonhardt Business Plan Competition
The Howard J. Leonhardt Business Plan Competition is a campus-wide event open to full and part-time undergraduate and graduate students of the University of Florida. In addition to the UF categories, teams from Buchholz's Academy of Entrepreneurship are also identified to compete in a separate category.
The competition recognizes and encourages the entrepreneurial spirit of the talented students of this institution and also provides an opportunity for the university community to translate ideas into concrete plans that could develop into commercial possibilities. Individuals gain the opportunity to compete with others on the campus and obtain valuable exposure to venture capital firms and angel investors interested in supporting UF.
All entries are evaluated and judged by successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists with the final teams presenting to a panel. Scholarship prizes are awarded to the top winners in three categories.
The Business Plan Competition is open to the public. Mark your calendar now to attend!
Competition Schedule & Deadlines
Registration Opens: Monday, March 2, 2009
Registration Deadline: Noon, Friday, March 27, 2009
Business Plan Submission Deadline: Noon, Friday, April 3, 2009
Finalists Announced: Friday, April 17, 2009
Final Presentation Round: Thursday, April 23, 2009, Hilton UF Conference Center
Preliminary Agenda for Final Presentation Round
1:00pm - 1:10pm: Welcome and Introduction
1:10pm - 2:00pm: "High School Plan" Presentations
2:00pm - 2:15pm: Break
2:15pm - 3:15pm: "Social Plan/Environmentally Impactful Plan" Presentations
3:15pm - 4:15pm: "General Product/Service Plan" Presentations
4:15pm - 4:45pm: Break
4:45pm - 5:00pm: Awards Ceremony
Rules and Guidelines
All deadlines are final, no exceptions. See schedule & deadlines above.
Eligibility for participation and prizes:
- All team members of each team must be full-time or part-time, currently enrolled UF graduate or undergraduate students in good standing with the University of Florida (not on any form of probation, etc.).
- There is no limit on the number of students per team. A student can be a member of more than one team, but cannot be a presenter on more than one team.
- Only one team member will be allowed to present or participate in any way in the final presentation.
- See Scholarship Prizes* for details on prize money and distribution.
- Entrants must have made a significant contribution to the business plan. No faculty, staff, or alumni are permitted to enter the competition.
Failure to meet qualifications or to comply with rules and guidelines will disqualify your submission. The Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation reserves the right to refuse any registration it deems inappropriate for any reason.
Changes or additions to any contest rules can be made at any time at the discretion of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
Registration (NO LATER THAN NOON, FRI., MARCH 27, 2009!)
All entrants must be registered on-line by the published deadline. Registration must be completed by one of the team members and include all members of the team. All sections of the form must be completed and should not be changed from the original
Business Plan Competition Registration On-line Form will be available when registration opens March 2, 2009
Submission of Business Plan (NO LATER THAN NOON, FRI., APRIL 3, 2009!)
- One unbound black and white copy binder-clipped together and
- One file with electronic copy in PDF format (only one file accepted - all parts of the plan, including financials and any additional addendums, must be incorporated into one pdf!)
These must be submitted directly from the entrants entering the competition. Cover page must clearly identify all official members of the team as indicated on the registration form.
- The business plan should not be in violation of any intellectual property rights. Submissions with confidentiality disclaimers will not be accepted.
- Submissions must not have received any form of venture capital financing prior to the competition.
Any indication of either will disqualify the plan from the competition.
Submit Hard Copy to Katharine Burks in 255 Stuzin Hall and Email pdf to Katharine at
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Resources
Suggested Business Plan Format
Business Plan Online Workshops - for further info on writing and presenting your business plan, watch these two videos featuring CEI Board Members Erik Sander and Sue Washer:
"The Pitch...What are Investors Looking For?" Erik Sander
"Business Plan Financials...What's Important?" Sue Washer
Competition Categories
General Product/Service Category:
Open to both UF graduate and undergraduate students.
Social Venture/Environmentally Impactful Category:
Open to both UF graduate and undergraduate students.
Buchholz High School Category:
Open to pre-selected Buchholz High School students only.
Judging, Final Presentations and Resubmissions
First Round Judging
Preliminary judges and their specific evaluations of plans submitted to the competition will remain confidential. General comments will be shared with entrants as deemed appropriate by CEI. Decisions made by judges regarding selection of plans to be forwarded to the final round are binding and cannot be disputed by entrants to the competition. By submitting a plan you agree to these terms.
During the first round of the competition business plans in each category will be judged using the criteria listed below.
- Feasibility - Is the business model viable? In particular, does it provide a product or service that will enable it to cover costs and earn a profit, make a positive contribution to society or utilize sustainable funding sources? Is there a comprehensive plan to measure the outcomes? Is there an exit strategy?
- Attention to Detail - Does the plan show that the student or group has thought through all problems that he or she is likely to encounter in setting up a business? Has the team sufficiently investigated the competitive environment and / or current efforts to address a particular social problem or issue? Have they shown they can recognize threats?
- Innovation - Does the planned venture meet a need in the marketplace (business or social)? Does it provide something unique? Does the plan show originality in concept and/or design? Does it have any defensible intellectual property and is there a strategy to accomplish marketing goals? Could this venture attain a leadership position in the market or accomplish its goals of positively impacting society while remaining sustainable?
Final Round Presentations and Judging
Entrants that are selected to go on to the final round will present their business plan to a panel of judges in front of a live audience. Entrants will have ten minutes to present their business plan. An additional ten minutes will be provided to allow the panel of judges to ask questions. Entrants must be present in the room when their category begins to present or they will be disqualified. A computer and LCD projector will be available. Decisions made by judges regarding selection of plans to be awarded scholarship money are final and binding and cannot be disputed by entrants to the competition. By submitting a plan you agree to these terms.
* PowerPoint will be the only medium allowed. No videos of any kind may be utilized and access to the Internet will be prohibited. Only pre-approved prototypes or props may be utilized during the presentation. On-line demonstrations should be captured in the PowerPoint slides via photos or "web" screen shots.
Resubmissions
Once a plan has been submitted entrants will not be allowed to make changes. Once a plan has made it to the final round it may not be reentered into future competitions even if the plan was significantly changed and/ or the plan was entered by different entrants.
Scholarship Prizes*
The scholarship prize money will be awarded according the distribution outlined below. The amount of the scholarships awarded to each category is at the sole discretion of CEI and is subject to change without prior notice. If a team is awarded any of these prizes, the amount awarded will be equally divided amongst all eligible team members. Only those entrants that were listed on the original registration form will receive money. Scholarship money will disbursed by the Office for Student Financial Affairs in the form of a financial aid scholarship. If an entrant has outstanding debt with the University of Florida, the scholarship money will be used to pay down the debt. If an entrant has a hold they will not receive the money until the hold is resolved. These awards are currently supported through the ongoing generous support of Howard J. Leonhardt, CEO of BIOHEART, Inc. in Weston Florida and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Warrington College of Business Administration.
2009 Scholarship Prizes
Buchholz High School Category
- First Place: $400
- 3 Runner-ups: $200
Social Venture/Environmentally Impactful Category
- First Place: $1,500
- Runner-up: $500
General Product/Service Category
- First Place Winner: $1,500
- Runner-up: $500
Entrant Responsibility
Entrants are responsible for adhering to and being aware of all rules and guidelines related to this competition. Dishonesty in any form will be referred to the Office for Student Judicial Affairs.
Disclaimer
The text on this page is subject to change without notice. If you have any questions please contact CEI at
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For more information on this competition, contact Katharine Burks at
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