ADVISORY/San Diego State University's Entrepreneurial Management Center Hosts Student Entrepreneurs from Around the World at Venture Challenge 2001.

News/Assignment Editors

ADVISORY...for Tuesday (April 10) through Friday (April 13)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Student Teams Present Business Plans to Esteemed Judges; Winner Takes

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San Diego State University's Entrepreneurial Management Center (EMC) will host the 12th Annual International Student Business Plan competition, Venture Challenge 2001.

This event, which runs from April 10th - April 13th at the Hilton San Diego Mission Valley, provides an opportunity for M.B.A. students seeking venture capital to present their business plans and compete for a $15,000 grand prize.

    WHO:     M.B.A. Students from around the world

    WHAT:    Venture Challenge 2001 - The competition is open to all
             faculty-sponsored, full-and part-time graduate students
             enrolled in a university during the calendar year prior
             to the competition. The grand prize is awarded to the
             team with the best business plan, and is typically used
             as seed money to launch the team's new venture.

    WHERE:   Hilton San Diego Mission Valley
             901 Camino del Rio South
             San Diego, CA 92108

    WHEN:    April 10th through April 13th, 2001

             Business Plan Exhibit Fair - April 11th

             --  Teams display their business plans and network with
                 other teams, key members of the local business
                 community and influential guests and visitors.

             Semi-Final Competition - April 12th

             --  The competition includes 20-minute oral presentations
                 from each student team and 20-minute question and
                 answer sessions with the judges.

             Finalist Competition - April 13th

             --  Finalist teams compete for over $25,000 in prizes.

The three-day event, sponsored by Qualcomm Inc., Nasdaq, Ernest & Young, SAIC, Orincon and JBM Properties, also offers a non-competitive setting for teams to discuss with experts how to turn their business plans into successful ventures. This year, two new awards have been added to the competition. The Golden Phone award will be presented to the student team with the best "telephone pitch" to investors, and the Craig P. Dunn award will be given to the team with the most social innovation in entrepreneurship.

This year's keynote speaker at the awards luncheon is Dr. Jerry Caulder of Akkadix Corp. -- a rapidly growing, independent biotechnology company having a broad range of research and development competencies in agricultural biotechnology. Dr. Caulder is chief executive officer and executive chairman of the board of directors at Akkadix Corp. He has more than 30 years of management experience in the agribusiness industry, including both domestic and multi-national corporations.

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Sanford Ehrlich, executive director of the EMC and student teams competing in Venture Challenge 2001, please contact Shelagh Carlson or Beth Avant at The Townsend Agency 858/457-4888 or view: www.sdsu.edu/emc