Student Teams Compete for $50k in Aldag Business Plan Competition

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Do you have the entrepreneurial spirit? Do you have a business idea ready to take to the next step? Students at The University of Alabama can turn their business ideas into realities by winning up to $50,000 in the Edward K. Aldag Jr. Business Plan Competition March 27 at the Bryant Conference Center.

Last year, 40 teams competed for the $50,000 grand prize and additional prizes of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 in addition to several focused $500 prizes. This year, thanks to a grant by The University of Alabama Division of Community Affairs Board of Advisors’ Entrepreneurship and Innovation Initiative, a second set of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 prizes for first-, second- and third-place winners will be distributed.

How to Compete

Andrew Johnson, Kyle Pecot and Grant Becker,
of startup KuLVAX, winners of the $50,000 grand
prize at the Edward K. Aldag, Jr. Business Plan
Competition Plan Competition at UA.

To be eligible for the additional set of prize money, participants must attend at least three events leading up to the competition. These are workshops held at The EDGE and Startup Weekend, all of which help student entrepreneurs make their business ideas and subsequent presentations even more effective; in other words, attending increases your chances to win.

The competition requires students submit a business plan, which will be reviewed; students will receive feedback and have time to make changes before they submit a final version of the plan.

Providing Critical Funds to Kickstart a Business Venture

Created in 2014, The Edward K. Aldag Jr. Business Plan Competition has awarded students over $180,000.

2017’s s winner, KüLVAX, a startup focusing on providing efficient cooling processes for transportation of lifesaving vaccines, received the $50,000 grand prize. Team members Andrew Johnson, Grant Becker and Kyle Pecot expressed their gratitude for the competition.

“There were so many incredible ideas and plans that we are extremely grateful to win this competition,” Johnson said. “We are thankful for Mr. Aldag’s generous investment toward The University of Alabama and its students, and we are excited to get our business started and moving toward profitability.”

The Edward K. Aldag Jr. Business Plan Competition is hosted by the Alabama Entrepreneurial Institute and the Culverhouse College of Commerce at The University of Alabama.

Students interested in competing can visit the AEI’s website or reach out to program assistant Michael Larsen at 205-722-5176 or mrlarsen@culverhouse.ua.edu.

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