MALAS Students Among First-Place Winners in Anderson Schools' Business Plan Competition

April 21, 2014

The UNM Business Plan Competition took place at the Anderson School of Management recently. The 13 teams in the university-wide competition presented their plans to over 40 experienced venture capitalists and angel investors who selected three prize-winning business proposals for both the Technology Ventures and Entrepreneurial Ventures tracks.

The winning teams were announced at the Awards Reception and Banquet at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Postgrad App was the winner in the Technology Ventures track, while Entrepreneurial track winner was Star Track. Total prize funds awarded to $75,000 for the aspiring entrepreneurs for start-up funding.

The competition encourages student teams from all UNM schools to utilize the wealth of technological innovations developed in New Mexico federal laboratories and universities. Technology Ventures teams utilize technology from Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories, from STC.UNM, or their own source with which to create a new business venture. Entrepreneurial teams create new small firms in business not involving intellectual property.

Two MALAS students were among the competition's first-place winners: Roxanne Blair and Ashley Yoder. Alongside Tait Yoder (BA, University Studies), these students won first place in the Entrepreneurial Ventures Track. Their proposal, The Starwrap, was awarded the Don Chalmers Ford 1st place ($7,500) prize.