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Case Foundation Makes $300,000 Grant for UH Business Plan Competition
Award to be used to Introduce Social Enterprise Award Category
(Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) -
The University of Hawai
ʻi Business Plan Competition will be strengthened
by a three-year, $300,000 investment by The Case Foundation, a charitable foundation established
by AOL co-founder and Hawai
ʻi native Steve Case.
The university is delighted to receive this commitment from The Case Foundation, said Vance Roley, the newly
appointed dean of the College of Business, and we are particularly pleased that this sponsorship will allow us to introduce a
social enterprise category in our competition. Social enterprises are nonprofit or for-profit business ventures that strive to
achieve financial self-sufficiency and a quantifiable double bottom line of financial and social concerns.
Organized by the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship & E-Business at the UH College of Business, the
competition was created to encourage students across the UH System to be more entrepreneurial, and to provide mentorship and
coaching for their business ideas.
The Case Foundation is proud to support this competition and the addition of a new prize for Social Enterprise,
said Steve Case. If we encourage entrepreneurship in both the business and nonprofit sectors, investors in Hawai
ʻi’s future will
have the opportunity to realize both economic and social returns on their investments.
The Social Enterprise Category prize will be $20,000 cash. The Case Foundation will provide over $60,000 in cash
prizes overall, as follows:
| Open Category: | 1st prize - $25K 2nd prize - $15K |
| Social Enterprise Category: | $20K |
| Best Undergraduate Plan: | $1K |
| Winners of High School Business Plan Competition: | $500 |
The UH Office of Technology Transfer and Economic Development also sponsors a $20,000 prize for
the best business plan using technology developed at UH, bringing the total prize money in
the competition to $80,000.
The UH Business Plan Competition is the premier business plan competition in Hawai
ʻi,
emphasizing innovation in
technology and social consciousness. The competition process is an intense and unique
learning opportunity for anyone wishing to pursue an idea for a business. Participants who reach
the final round will have worked on their business plans for three months,
supported by a host of volunteer mentors, and a series of informative help sessions.
Finalists will present their plans to a panel of judges and a live audience. In addition to the substantial
cash awards, winners are automatically guaranteed presentation slots
at the Wayne Brown Institute Investors Choice International Equity Capital Conference.
For competition details, visit
http://www.cba.hawaii.edu/bpc.
Inquires about the competition may be directed to PACE at
pace@hawaii.edu
or (808) 956-5083.
About the University of Hawaiʻi Foundation
The University of Hawai
ʻi Foundation is an independent, university-related, nonprofit
organization whose purpose is to raise private funds according to priorities determined
by the academic leadership of the University of Hawai
ʻi and approved by the Board of
Regents. Founded in 1955, the Foundation provides a full range of fund raising and
alumni relations services for all 10 UH campuses.
For more information on the Foundation, visit
www.uhf.hawaii.edu.