Organizers are expecting to announce the winning entry in the 15th annual Henry R. Kravis Business Plan Competition on Friday, Dec. 3 following a judging of submissions on the Claremont Graduate University campus. A committee of practitioners in entrepreneurial ventures and venture capital will evaluate the top three student projects, this year all representing the work of CMC students. Panelists include CMC alumni Augie Nieto '80 P'08, Life Fitness president and CEO, and national Alumni Fund chairman, and Jon Kirchner '89, president and CEO of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
Sponsored by the Venture Finance Institute at the Drucker School of Management and the Robert A. Day 4 + 1 BA/MBA Program at CMC, the competition provides winners with a cash award. Friday's finalists, selected from a pool of six entries, are as follows: John Niles, Graham Tharp, and Daniel Cahir, all Class of 2005, (NASCO: National Association of Student Clubs and Organizations Business Plan); Colin Read '06 (The Guide to Life @ Claremont); and Alexander Benard '06 and Tyler Wolf '05(Arc Media).
"The Henry R. Kravis Business Plan Competition is a unique opportunity," says Brian Dennis, assistant director of the Financial Economics Institute at CMC, and associate director of CMC's Robert A. Day 4 + 1 BA/MBA Program. "Students have the chance to receive feedback on their business plans while interacting with CMC and Drucker alumni who are entrepreneurs and venture capitalistsan exposure not typically afforded to an undergraduate."
The winning submission will be used as the basis for the Robert A. Day Venture Capital Competition in the spring, requiring competitors to submit a proposal outlining funding of the winning Kravis business plan.
Students and members of the community are welcome to attend Friday's presentation of projects in the Burkle Family House, located at 11th Street and Dartmouth Avenue on the CGU campus. Activities commence at 3 p.m. and conclude at 5, with a wine and cheese reception. Student presentations each will last about 20 minutes, including several minutes for questions.
For more information, call 909-607-7365.