UW Business Plan Competition: where start-ups begin

For 15 years, new business ventures and innovations have sprouted from ideas to successful start-ups via the University of Washington Business Plan Competition. This economic engine at the Foster School of Business has grown to become an annual meet-up for hundreds of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and angel investors. Undergraduate and graduate students from multiple universities and every field—from engineering or physics to business or public affairs—compete for prize money year after year. So far, $1,332,000 has been awarded as seed money to new businesses.

“Long term, the entrepreneurial community in Seattle cannot be successful without the University of Washington,” said Craig Sherman, attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and competition judge.

“What’s most impressive to me is the incredible creativity of the students… coming together to produce what’s both technically feasible and makes business sense,” said Oren Etizioni, computer science and engineering professor and entrepreneur.