The Bard Center: Business Plan Competition and Enhanced Incubator Opportunities
The Eighth Annual Bard Center Business Plan Competition's public presentations and awards ceremony will occur on Wednesday, June 10, 2009, at the Grand Hyatt in Denver. The competition seeks to promote the creation and development of high-caliber businesses by recognizing the most outstanding plans for early-stage Colorado companies. This event will present awards to six aspiring entrepreneurs and their teams. Cash and in-kind awards from area businesses totaling nearly $100,000 are awarded annually. The event is the culmination of three months of planning, development and review. The Bard Center solicits the best business plans from students, alumni and faculty at all higher education/graduate-level institutions in Colorado.
The finalists were announced in late May. They represent a wonderfully diverse group of companies spanning a variety of industries including: organic foods, biotechnology, clean technology and non-profit.
And the winners are...
The event took place on June 10th, to a packed room business and university community.
Olomomo Nut Company was the first place winner! The company, founded by 11-Month MBA graduate Justin Perkins, aspires to create the highest quality artisanal nuts in the world.
The other winners were as follows:
- 2nd place: Organic Dish
- 3rd place and Best Bioscience Award: Vibralung, Inc.
Other finalists included:
- Also Energy
- Global CafeNation (winner of the Non Profit award)
- Western States Pharmaceuticals
More information on the event and the winners visit the Bard Center website.
Finalist Profiles
Also Energy
Robert Schaefer, Holden Caine
Also Energy develops and maintains portfolios of mini solar electricity utilities for a target market of building owners and occupants in Colorado. Their first portfolio, Solar Power Pack One, consists of one megawatt of photovoltaic systems installed in Colorado. The customers pay for the electricity the system generates while Also Energy partners with Colorado electric integrators for design and installation, and performs system maintenance.
Global Cafénation
Jake Sager, Nichole Parker
Global CafeNation seeks to provide a sustainable solution to alleviate poverty and stimulate economic development in Tanzania through the direct trade of Tanzanian coffee and artisan goods in the United States. Profits from the sale of these products will compensate coffee growers and artisans, as well as sponsor children through secondary education in Tanzania.
Olomomo Nut Company
Justin Perkins, Peter Genuardi
Olomomo Nut Company aspires to be the foremost high-end, all natural and organic nut brand with its kettle-roasted nuts, coated with original and unexpected exotic spice and flavor blends. Olomomo will initially distribute through specialty coffee shops across America to conscious consumers who crave quality, delicious, high- protein, socially responsible products.
The Organic Dish
Beckie and Toby Hemmerling
The Organic Dish makes pre-assembled, frozen meals using organic and farm-fresh ingredients for busy families and professionals. Customers may either buy meals at The Organic Dish’s kitchen in Boulder, or order online with an option for home or office delivery within the Denver Metro area. The Company will focus on catering to individuals and families who struggle to balance healthy eating at home and work with busy lives.
Vibralung, Inc.
Art Hughes, Jim Medford, Jon Wallace
VibraLung, Inc. is a biomedical device company with a proprietary airway clearance device for treating patients with phlegm producing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Their product, VibraLung Advanced Acoustic Airway Clearance Percussor, will aid in phlegm removal, and thus mitigate both secondary infections and primary disease progression.
Wester States Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Michael J. Reilly, Carl K. Edwards, PhD
Western States Biopharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Through the development of novel drug therapies, the Company has created a treatment that blocks the part of the immune system attacking the body while also allowing the body to fight infection.
The Bard Center offers incubator space for new businesses in order to help them launch and grow their entrepreneurial ventures. The incubator space is housed at the Bard Center, which is located in the historic Masonic Building on the 16th Street Mall. This prime commercial space—in the heart of the downtown Denver business community—is offered at reduced market rates to give startup businesses a unique opportunity to network with other incubator business owners, participate in Bard Center programs, and gain valuable counsel from experienced business leaders in the community.
