OSU fields half the semifinalists in statewide Governor's Cup competition
Friday, March 24, 2006
Six Oklahoma State University teams have earned a place among the 12 undergraduate semifinalists vying for $104,000 in cash prizes in the statewide Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition.
Dr. Joe Wilkie, associate professor of business administration at OSU-OKC, is faculty advisor for four of the six teams, which will make their oral presentations in the final phase of the competition on April 7 in Oklahoma City. Dr. Tom Brown, Ardmore professor of business administration and associate professor of marketing at OSU-Stillwater, and Eve Dobkins-Ash at OSU-Tulsa are the advisors for the other semifinalist teams.
To reach the semifinals, each team submits a business plan for seed, start-up or early-stage venture and addresses all phases of the plan, including implementation. The plan is evaluated by a panel of judges representing a wide array of industries including successful entrepreneurs, professional services providers, venture capitalists and angel investors.
The following is a list of OSU semifinalist teams with the title of their business
plan along with a short description of their start-up.
Undergraduate Division Semifinalists from OSU
APF: Oklahoma State University-OKC; faculty advisor: Joe Wilkie; students: Sean E. Choate, team leader; and James D. Clanahan. American Pet Finders offers the safest and most innovative GPS tracking for animals, which includes an implant, handheld devices, and services offered with the product.
Backhouse Professionals: Oklahoma State University-Tulsa; faculty advisor: Eve Dobkins-Ash; student: Daniel Regan, team leader. Backhouse Professionals was created to help homeowners generate long-term positive cash flow and help blighted neighborhoods clean up and reinvent their image.
Cold Bottle Designs: Oklahoma State University-Stillwater; faculty advisor: Dr. Tom Brown; students: Joseph Pruitt, team leader; and Blake Ferrell. Cold Bottle Design's unique technology offers an environmentally friendly disposable bottle for the beverage industry that provides up to 150 percent added insulation with no additional manufacturing costs.
Detect First, Inc.: Oklahoma State University-OKC; faculty adviser: Joe Wilkie; students: Robert W. Kuester, team leader; and Brett Beesley. Detect First, Inc. was formed to develop processes for the production of next-generation infrared detection components used in military, biomedical, safety, and quality control equipment.
Enhanced Optics, Inc.: Oklahoma State University-OKC; faculty adviser: Joe Wilkie; students: Dustin White, team leader; Cody Haddock, and Brian Collier. Enhanced Optics, Inc. provides an innovative and technologically superior optic device for the United States Department of Defense and the law enforcement community. Accu-Shot is a combination range finder and rifle scope in one innovative unit capable of calculating distance, wind direction and speed to ensure accuracy.
Intellitech: Oklahoma State University-OKC; faculty adviser: Joe Wilkie; student: Jeffrey Johnson, team leader. Intellitech has developed the concept of an Electronic Personal Fitness Training Device (iFitness), which is an iPod personal fitness trainer with a heart rate monitor. This software and peripheral device will replace conventional fitness instructors with personalized exercise workouts on the Apple iPod mp3 player.
In the upcoming final phase of the competition, each team will have 20 minutes to present its business plan and another 20 minutes to field questions from the judges. The undergraduate finalists will be announced during the Governor’s Cup reception at the Presbyterian Health Foundation Conference Center on the evening of April 7.
An awards gala honoring the winning teams in both undergraduate and graduate divisions will be held on April 20. The first-place team in each division will receive $20,000 cash, second place $10,000, and third place $5,000. Advisers also will receive a cash award.
For reservation information for the April 7 reception or to purchase tickets for the April 20 awards gala, contact Sarah Seagraves, director of marketing, i2E, Inc., at 405-235-2305 or email sseagraves@i2E.org. Complete program information can be found at www.dwrgovernorscup.org.