Competition at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business Draws Plans for Products and Services That Can Help Aging Baby Boomers.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- America's 78 million baby boomers - a generation with more than $2.5 trillion in spending power - are fast approaching their golden years.

This year's Boomer Business Plan Competition, co-produced by Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business and Mary Furlong & Associates, has attracted contestants from around the US and the world.

On June 20, five finalists will present their plans to a panel of judges at the 2006 Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit and a $10,000 grand prize winner will be chosen. More than 70 business plans were submitted by entrepreneurs, early-stage companies and college students from five countries. All 20 semifinalists will have their plans reviewed by top Silicon Valley venture capitalists and boomer market experts.

"The leading and trailing edge boomers need innovation," says Mary Furlong, consultant and expert in the boomer and senior markets. "The Boomer Business Plan Competition seeks to foster innovation and help entrepreneurs of all ages and stages take their ideas and build businesses out of them."

Plans targeted ventures in a range of industries poised for significant growth as the population ages, including medicine, technology, fashion and financial services. The competition's 20 semifinalists are developing everything from treatments for glaucoma and sleep apnea to brain stimulation games, sexy sleepwear for mature women and services that help retirees buy property in Latin America.

The Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit's sponsors include North Castle Partners, AARP Services, Inc., Intel, MetLife Mature Market Institute, Silicon Valley Bank, Wells Fargo, Facebook and NBC.

For more information about the third annual Boomer Business Plan Competition, and about previous winners and contestants, please visit www.boomerventuresummit.com/competition .

About the co-producers:

The Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University began in 1926, and was one of the first business schools in the country to receive national accreditation. Its undergraduate business program is recognized as one of the top three in California, and among the top 5% nationally. The School's MBA program is ranked 12th in the nation among part-time graduate programs for working professionals, and its Executive MBA was ranked #21 nationally for the first time in 2006-07. More than 80 percent of its 1,200 MBA student body are working professionals in the Bay Area.

Mary Furlong & Associates provides business development, financing strategy and integrated marketing solutions to entrepreneurs, corporations and nonprofit organizations serving the 45+ market. Mary Furlong, Ed.D also serves as an executive professor on entrepreneurship at the Leavey School of Business at SCU. www.MaryFurlong.com