Student entrepreneurs vie for $10,000 in prizes in Georgian Den competition Wednesday, April 13
March 30, 2016
Students from last year’s Georgian Den competition showed off their “Green U” business idea at the entrepreneurship showcase.
Georgian College student entrepreneurs are sharpening the pitches they will soon be making to judges in the annual Georgian Den competition at the Barrie Campus. The stakes are high, with $10,000 in cash prizes generously provided by Casino Rama for the second year in a row to support student entrepreneurship.
Forty-eight student teams from four different academic areas are participating as part of their Entrepreneurship and Small Business course. The event takes place Wednesday, April 13 from 2 to 7 p.m.
Over the current semester, students came up with ideas for new businesses and then developed comprehensive business plans. Each group hopes to have what it takes to win the premier spot in the Den.
Dozens of students will compete in the first round which takes place in the Georgian Dining Room where students will present their new business concepts in a trade show setting. Judges are experienced business professionals from the college and the local community.
The top six groups will earn a spot in the final round of the Georgian Den where one team will be named the ultimate winner. First prize is $5,000, second prize is $2,500 and third prize is $1,000. The fourth, fifth and sixth-place teams win $500 each.
The final round judges, named the “Bears”, include Jenna Hunter, Director of Public Relations, Casino Rama; Chris Partridge, partner, Wildeboer Dellelce (exclusive legal advisors to CBC Television’s Dragons’ Den); Alex Tilley, owner and founder of Tilley Endurables; and Sandy Robertson, founder and director of the Georgian Angel Network.
The elimination trade show runs in the foyer of H Building from 2 to 5 p.m. The final round and award ceremony take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Rowntree Theatre.