A new entrepreneurship competition to transform business and research ideas from students and early-stage researchers at UCD, into business plans and commercial enterprises, has been launched by NovaUCD.
Winning entries in the team-based SUSSED! Competition will share a €10,000 prize fund, receive 6-months free incubation space in UCD’s Innovation and Commercialisation Centre, NovaUCD and will obtain professional support in forming their new ventures. The overall winner will go on to represent UCD in the Europe-wide UNICA Entrepreneurship Competition for Students and Young Researchers which takes place later in 2009.
Speaking at the launch of SUSSED! Prof Mark Keane, UCD Vice-President for Innovation said, “This competition is designed to encourage UCD students and early-stage researchers to translate their energy, novel business ideas and technologies emerging from UCD into new indigenous commercial ventures. The development of such ventures form the backbone of the Government’s vision for Ireland’s economic future and the creation of a Smart Economy.”
He added, “The SUSSED! Competition also aims to further develop a culture of entrepreneurship among the students and researchers at UCD and to enhance their entrepreneurial skills.”
The competition will be run in two stages: firstly, participating teams will be asked to submit their business plans setting out their business ideas. These business plans will then be reviewed by a judging panel which will contain a mixture of entrepreneurs, academics and industry representatives from diverse sectors. The judging panel will then short-list the teams which will go forward to the “Dragons’ Den” stage of the competition where the top three prize-winners will be selected.
To enter this competition, prospective teams must register their interest with NovaUCD by 6th April. The final deadline for the submission of application forms and business plans is 15th May.
Related links
Full details including, timelines, rules, assessment criteria and other related information are available on the SUSSED! Competition webpage
