“This is our eighth year, and what amazes me is that every year, the winning business plans get better and better,” said Dave Archer, president and CEO of the the Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, which sponsored the competition. “So, not only the people who won tonight the best of the submissions for this year, but possibly the best business plan we’ve seen in the eight years of the competition.”

Students who competed received valuable feedback from the business community and had mentors to help polish their business plans.

Envirohaven, a team from the University of Nevada, Reno, was a double-winner. It won first-place in the undergraduate category, as well as the winning the Lt. Governor’s Award. The team will receive about $35,000 in prize money to help start a company that will manufacture self-contained, energy-producing and energy-efficient homes that can be easily assembled. The Lt. Governor’s Award recognizes the best business plan that uses clean, renewable or efficient-energy technologies and services.

A team from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas earned second place with its idea to help young people learn about electronics and programming through Live Wire. The Deep End, a business plan to develop the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world and to put it in Reno, won third place and $10,000.

(Photo: Clint Borchard, captain of team Envirohaven)

Read entire story here

1^st Place – $25,000: MASH Tool USA

MASH Tool brings you all your landscaping and construction needs!

• Team Captain: Angela Douglas, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Elizabeth Lewis, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Sarah Zalas, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Brandon Peters, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Peter Nazarechuck, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Angela Douglas, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: Andrew Hardin, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2^nd Place – $15,000: Geyser Flow Control

Geyser Flow Control created the patented GFC Device. A low-cost, easy to install water flow restrictor for irrigation systems, it minimizes water loss if a sprinkler head fails and corrects over-pressurization. It is set to save Vegas 2.5B gal water.

• Team Captain: Michael Giannini, MIS/MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Seth Ostrowski, MIS, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Paul Kotchka-Smith, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Erin Johnson, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Joshua Ellison, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: Andrew Hardin, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

3^rd Place – $10,000: Dating Brouhaha Animated Series

Dating Brouhaha Animated Series is an animated cartoon series that is comedic in nature, eccentric in context, energetic in form and explores facets of current American dating life through the eyes of a multi-generational family.

• Team Captain: Lora Hendrickson, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Shanna Elhard, MBA, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: David Hames, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

UNDERGRADUATE WINNERS

1^st Place – $25,000: Envirohaven

Envirohaven will revolutionize the “green” housing industry by manufacturing self-contained, energy producing, and efficiently designed home packages that can be easily assembled anywhere.

• Team Captain: Clint Borchard, Management, University of Nevada, Reno
• Vicki Bischoff, Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno
• Manpreet Kaur, Accounting, University of Nevada, Reno,
• Shaun Cameron, Communication Studies and Information Systems, University of Nevada, Reno
• Adair Melendez, Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno
• Faculty Advisor: Gary Valiere, University of Nevada, Reno

2^nd Place – $15,000: Wire Ideas

To inspire young individuals to discover and learn about electronics and programming in a creative and entertaining way.

• Team Captain: Sergio Flores, Electrical Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Jorge Carrasco, Civil Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Daniel Silva, Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Miguel Murillo, Electrical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Faculty Advisor: Janet Runge, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

3^rd Place – $10,000: Deep End

The Deep End will be the deepest indoor swimming pool in the world. The facility will be located in Reno, NV. Its maximum depth will be 35 meters and will have an Olympic Size pool and Competition Diving Platforms which will use geothermal for heating

• Team Captain: Justin Morrill, Finance and Economics, University of Nevada, Reno
• Jasper Allen Jacobs, Marketing, University of Nevada, Reno
• Faculty Advisor: Marie Murgolo-Poore, Truckee Meadows Community College

LT. GOVERNOR’S AWARD WINNER – $10,000

Envirohaven

The design of our products makes the prospect of living independent of public utilities both obtainable and desirable. By integrating our energy conservation building technologies and harvesting renewable energy in adaptive ways, our home design will create access to modern conveniences for those who live in remote areas without power.

• Team Captain: Clint Borchard, Management, University of Nevada, Reno
• Vicki Bischoff, Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno
• Manpreet Kaur, Accounting, University of Nevada, Reno
• Shaun Cameron, Communication Studies and Information Systems, University of Nevada, Reno
• Adair Melendez, Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno
• Faculty Advisor: Gary Valiere, University of Nevada, Reno

Dr. Marie Murgolo-Poore
Dean, School of Business and Entrepreneurship
Truckee Meadows Community College

Marie Murgolo-Poore came to TMCC from Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia. She has a Ph.D. and master’s degree in commerce with emphases in marketing, and a bachelor of arts degree in communications. She has taught at universities in the USA, Australia, West Indies, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. She had an active and productive research and publication career. Prior to working at Curtin University of Technology, she spent 18 years in corporate marketing communications management and consultancy roles in both the United States and Australia.

Dr. Alan Fuchs
Department Chair and Associate Professor, Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Nevada, Reno

Dr. Alan Fuchs is Chair of Chemical and Materials Engineering and Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and has been at UNR for 14 years. He teaches classes in chemical and materials engineering design, chemical separations processes and polymer science and engineering. Fuchs does research related to new materials for renewable energy, biomaterials and intelligent materials. Previously, Fuchs worked at Rohm and Haas Chemical Corporation in the area of membrane filtration technology for 12 years. He worked in research, product and process development and manufacturing. Fuchs is very interested in engineering entrepreneurship, working with small companies and helping them to identify new products and processes. He enjoys working with students on Governor’s Cup projects and has done so since the competition started.

The Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup

There seems to be no lack of entrepreneurial spirit on campus, as on Wednesday, two days after the Sontag Award finalists were named, 13 student teams from the University of Nevada, Reno were among the 18 teams named as finalists in the statewide Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition, presented by Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NCET). The University has historically fared well in the competition, now in its eighth year, garnering 15 of the 23 awards presented at the competition over the past three years.

This year, the student teams from the University of Nevada, Reno named as finalists are:

• In the graduate student category, Fernley Fuels, LLC, Go Fish! and TexDocs
• In the undergraduate student category, Deep End, Envirohaven, Milennial marketing Group, LLC, and thecollegefishbowl.com
• In the Lt. Governor’s Award category, all of the finalists are from the University of Nevada Reno, including Deep End, Envirohaven, Fernley Fuels LLC, Go Fish!, Golden Ops LLC and WaterMule

Prizes in the competition include $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 going to the first-, second- and third-place winners, respectively, in the graduate and undergraduate competition, and $10,000 going to the team that receives the Lt. Governor’s Award, presented to the business plan that best employs clean, renewable or efficient energy technologies and services.

“I’m so grateful for what NCET has done with the Governor’s Cup here,” said Gary Valiere, who has advised students in the competition since its inception. “Dave has done a masterful job running the competition in Nevada,” he said. Dave Archer is the president and CEO of NCET, a nonprofit organization that helps Nevadans start businesses by connecting them to resources.

(Envirohaven team in photo)                                                Read entire story here

Brandon Shaw plans to take his on-campus tutoring service nationally, but first, he’s got to finish high school and graduate from college.

The 17-year-old Truckee Meadows Community College High School senior has teamed up with 17-year-old Nick Vienneau, a Davidson Academy senior, and Joseph Jumale, a TMCC student, to form Stepping Stones Learning Aid.

“We have very big aspirations for our business,” Shaw said. “This is going to be the Facebook of education. This will be something people remember, and we will change the face of tutoring.”

The team is competing in the eighth annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition.

The 18 finalists for the Governor’s Cup will be announced today. Stepping Stones was one of the six finalists in the undergraduate division. Six finalists were named in the graduate division and Lt. Governor’s Award.

Read entire article here

Four student groups from the UNLV were named finalists today in the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition, a statewide contest designed to encourage students to use their ideas and talents to create tomorrow’s businesses.

The four UNLV teams are part of a final 12 selected to compete for the Governor’s Cup. A total of 68 teams from six Nevada public and private colleges and universities competed in the contest.

The winners will be announced on April 18 in Reno. The first, second and third place winners in both the graduate and undergraduate categories will receive a $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000, respectively. First and second place winners also will compete in the tri-state awards in May and receive a chance to win $60,000. Students in the competition also gain access to networks of successful entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders from around the state.

UNLV’s finalists include:

· Dating Brouhaha Animated Series- (graduate finalist) This is an animated cartoon series that will be released on the Internet as a web series and also on mobile devices. The show explores the facets of current American dating life through the eyes of a multi-generational family. Each character is single and discovers experiences in the dating world. The team hopes to enter a partnership agreement with YouTube as a means to generate revenue and market the show through online dating sites. UNLV students Lora Hendrickson and Shanna Elhard created this business plan.

· Geyser Flow Control.  (graduate finalist) The group created a metal disc that can be attached to a sprinkler head and limits water flow during a device malfunction. It reduces the flow of pressure to the sprinkler head, resulting in more concentrated water drops hitting the lawn. The team estimates the device could save as much as 10,000 gallons of water per household, per year. UNLV students partnered with local entrepreneur Peter Maksymec to develop his business idea. The group already received the grand prize at the Dominic Anthony Marrocco 2012 Southern Nevada Business Plan Competition. UNLV students involved in this project are Michael Giannini, Seth Ostrowki, Paul Kotchka-Smith, Erin Johnson and Joshua Ellison.

· MASH Tool USA- (graduate finalist) UNLV students developed a pogo stick shaped-tool for the landscaping industry. This tool is designed to help dig and plow yards, is readily portable and weighs about 25 pounds. The professional tool would retail for about $500. UNLV students Angela Douglas, Elizabeth Lewis, Sarah Zalas, Brandon Peters, and Peter Nazarechuck developed this business plan.

· Wire Ideas-  (undergraduate finalist) Wire Ideas is a mobile application, aimed at inspiring young individuals to discover and learn about electronics and programming in a creative and entertaining way. Wire Ideas designs and creates project kits so students can create their own electronic devices such as a robot or remote control car by using a step-by-step tutorial on their smart phone device. The product is geared toward teens ages 13-19 in order to help create interest in science, technology, engineering and math fields. UNLV students Sergio Flores, Jorge Carrasco, Daniel Silva and Miguel Murillo developed this plan.

Based on their work , NCET is pleased to announce the 2012 finalists:

GRADUATE FINALISTS

• Dating Brouhaha Animated Series – UNLV
• Fernley Fuels LLC – UNR
• Geyser Flow Control – UNLV
• Go Fish! – UNR
• MASH Tool USA – UNLV
• TexDocs – UNR
• .

FINALISTS

• Deep End – UNR
• Envirohaven – UNR
• Millennial Marketing Group, LLC – UNR
• Stepping Stones Learning Aid – TMCC
• thecollegefishbowl.com – UNR
• Wire Ideas – UNLV
• .

LT. GOVERNOR’S AWARD FINALISTS

• Deep End – UNR
• Envirohaven – UNR
• Fernley Fuels LLC – UNR
• Go Fish! – UNR
• Golden Ops LLC – UNR
• WaterMule – UNR

You can find more information on these teams here.

Our thanks to everyone for participating.  These business plans were truly inspirational.