Deadline: BASES E-Challenge Executive Summaries Due

The Stanford Entrepreneur's Challenge (E-Challenge) is an annual business plan competition conducted by the Business Association of Stanford Engineering Students (BASES) with the purpose of developing the next generation of entrepreneurs.

E-Challenge participants learn about venture formation and explore their entrepreneurial dreams in a supportive environment. Throughout the year, we encourage you to participate in the workshops, team building activities, mentorship program, and the Industry Thought Leaders' Seminar. It is an opportunity to share and develop their skills, produce business ideas, and start companies. This program is open for students from all disciplines and not limited to business or engineering schools only.

All Stanford students, research and postdoctoral staff, and faculty are eligible to enter. Though individuals not affiliated with Stanford University are encouraged to participate, any entering team must have at least half of its members affiliated with Stanford University. The size of a team is not restricted, and neither is the number of entries submitted by each team. In the past, however, teams consisting of 3 to 7 members have been most successful.

A $25,000 Grand Prize, endowed by the Morgenthaler Family, and another $25,000 will be split among the remaining finalists so that they can pursue their entrepreneurial plans (2nd place $15,000 and 3rd place $10,000). There are various other prizes totaling $60,000!

The E-Challenge is one of the most prestigious business plan competition in the world. Last year's winners include Microdrop who bagged the first prize of $25,000 followed by joint runner-ups General Financial Services and Zarynx. Some of the past winners include Voltage Security (2002), T-RAM (2000) and Ingenuity (1998).

Our last year's winner, Micro-drop, has recently won the 2nd Global Start-up@Singapore Business Plan Competition 2004, held in Singapore. This event brings the winning teams from the world's best schools and Business Plan Competitions (i.e. winners among the 'crème de la crème' from the world's leading educational institutions). Micro-drop is developing a MEMS-based micro-droplet technology. It's breakthrough in fluid application provides compelling advantages across multiple industries such as drug-testing and delivery.

Don't miss the deadline on February 20, 2005 to submit your Executive Summary!