Whitman School holds annual ‘Best of the Best’

Whitman School holds annual ‘Best of the Best’ April 16, 2007Amy Schmitzaemehrin@syr.edu

The Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University will hold the 2007 Panasci Business Plan Competition on April 20 and 21. Teams from across campus will compete for prize start-up money totaling $40,000. From an initial pool of 70 teams, the best 16 business plans have been selected, and those student teams will compete in the semi-finals on Friday, April 20, from 1:30-4 p.m. The top four teams will advance to the finals on Saturday, April 21, from 2-5:15 p.m. in the Lender Auditorium, located on the concourse level of the Whitman School building.

The Panasci Business Plan Competition is named for Henry Panasci, founder and former chairman of Fay’s Drug Stores. The competition is designed to spur the entrepreneurial spirit of students at SU and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in creating growth-oriented businesses. The prize money, experience and training given to students in past competition years have enabled several student-owned businesses to get a head start.

Entries are judged on the innovativeness of their idea, the viability of the proposed venture, the quality and comprehensiveness of the written plan, and the quality of the oral presentation. The team’s potential for successful implementation and sustainability of its proposed venture is a crucial factor in determining the award winners. Judges for the Panasci Business Plan Competition include successful entrepreneurs and investors from New York state and from across the United States.

For more information, contact Lindsay Wickham, events coordinator, at (315) 443-3550 or lwickham@syr.edu.