Whitman hosts semifinals, finals of 2011 Panasci Business Plan Competition

Social content communities where users who are passionate about, or have expertise on, a shared topic can interact; an online fighting game that allows users to upload their own drawings and watch as they come to life and battle against the drawings of others; a device that enables the user to send a human touch, wirelessly; an interactive online service that makes vouching for others social, meaningful and fun; an invention that cleverly combines a diaper with wipes so that child care providers no longer have to worry about taking both with them when they are running errands or traveling—these are just a handful of the business ideas slated for competition during the annual Panasci Business Plan Competition held in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. Out of scores of student teams that applied to compete, the field has been narrowed to 16 teams, composed of 39 students and representing many majors and minors from across campus. The competition is overseen by the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship in the Whitman School.

The semifinals will be held on Friday, April 15, beginning at 1:30 p.m., and the finals will be held on Saturday, April 16, beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Whitman School building, followed by an awards ceremony and reception. During the semifinals, 16 teams will present their business plans to Syracuse-area business leaders. Teams will be judged on creativity, innovation, feasibility, comprehensiveness and an oral presentation. The top five teams will proceed to the finals in the hopes of winning up to $45,000 in prizes, which will go to the top three teams whose new venture ideas represent the best potential for growth and attracting outside financing.

“The Panasci Business Plan Competition is one of the most eagerly anticipated events at the Whitman School,” says Melvin T. Stith, dean of the Whitman School. “The competition attracts business ideas from across our campus, underscoring the entrepreneurial mindset of our student body. The Panasci Competition provides a great opportunity for Syracuse University students to demonstrate that they can compete in the real-world marketplace and launch a viable business.”

For more information about the Panasci Business Plan Competition, contact Lindsay Wickham, events coordinator for the Falcone Center, at (315) 443-3550 or lwickham@syr.edu.