Governor’s Business Plan contest names 25 finalists

Twenty-five entries representing sectors as broad as recreational fishing and software development and innovations in manufacturing are competing in the finalist round of the ninth annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.

The contestants have survived two rounds of judging in the contest organized through the Wisconsin Technology Council, which produces the contest in conjunction with the Wisconsin Innovation Network, the Wisconsin Angel Network and other statewide affiliates. The contest began in late January with 248 entries.

“The business plans in the final round reflect some of Wisconsin’s core technology strengths, as well as the fact that entrepreneurs can be found in emerging business sectors as well as familiar industries,” Mark Bugher, chairman of the Tech Council, said in a press release.

The 25 plans selected for the final round include winners of the UW-Madison Burrill contest, the BizStarts collegiate competition, and the Marquette University Kohler competition.

Ideas from this year’s crop of finalists include products and ideas for renewable energy, window manufacturing, electric motor innovation, several aspects of health care, flight training simulation, cyber-security, cloud computing, 3D printing and predicting behaviors of shoppers and trade show visitors. Entries were submitted in four categories: Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, Information Technology, and Life Sciences.

Contestants have submitted full business plans for review by a panel of more than 60 judges established by the Tech Council, which is the non-profit and non-partisan science and technology adviser to the governor and the Legislature. Each plan describes the core product or service, defines the customer base, estimates the size of the market, identifies competition, lists members of the management team, and provides key financial data.

The finalists’ executive summaries as well as those filed by semi-finalists are available for inspection by accredited investors through the Wisconsin Angel Network, which has more than 25 member angel networks, private equity funds, or corporate strategic partners.

About $200,000 in cash and in-kind prizes have been pledged thus far for the 2012 contest. Prize winners will be announced June 5-6 at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference in Milwaukee.

Finalists for 2012 are as follows: