$2,000 in prizes up for grabs in ‘2 Minutes to Win It’ contest

Posted on February 18, 2015

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GREENSBORO – For the first time, the UNCG North Carolina Entrepreneurship Center (NCEC) is offering its popular “2 Minutes to Win It” business idea contest in the spring. All full-time undergraduate and graduate students at UNCG, N.C. A&T, Greensboro College, Guilford College, Bennett College, Elon University, Guilford Tech and High Point University are eligible to compete for $2000 in prizes. Initial idea submissions are due on Feb. 21, and final pitches and awards will be presented on March 31.

“We’ve had such success with our fall competition, we wanted to double up and add one for spring. Students now have two opportunities to unleash their creativity and get feedback from expert entrepreneurs. Plus, they get the chance to walk away with cash and resources to turn their ideas into a reality,” said Justin Streuli, director of the NCEC.

“Entering is simple. Students just need to come up with a catchy name, a brief description of products or services offered, a profile of target customers, and reasons why the idea will be successful.”

Students can develop original ideas for any type of business or social entrepreneurship venture. The only exceptions are that ideas cannot be franchises or a business or service that has already been started by the student. Students can enter multiple times, but all ideas must be submitted online at http://ncec.uncg.edu by Feb. 21.

Following the submission deadline, a team of independent judges will select the best 20 ideas. The judges will review all entries in a blind process where only the idea itself is revealed. “The ideas are what matter, not the student’s year in school, background, major, or anything else,” Streuli said. “The majority of finalists are non-business students, proving that entrepreneurial ideas come from everywhere.”

Contest finalists will be invited to attend a workshop to get tips on how to make an elevator pitch on Tuesday, March 17, at UNCG (Moore Humanities and Research Administration Building, 1111 Spring Garden St.). On March 31, the 20 finalists will gather at the UNCG Alumni House, where each finalist will have two minutes to pitch his or her idea to a group of community entrepreneur judges. Winners will be announced at a reception on the same day.

Prizes include $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, $250 for third place and $250 for best presentation. The first-place winner also gets a guaranteed spot in the Greensboro Partnership’s Triad Startup Lab, co-working space at the new Greensboro Partnership Co//ab, consultations with an attorney and business adviser, and more.

This spring’s “2 Minutes to Win It” contest culminates during Entrepreneurship Day, a yearly event at UNCG. Successful entrepreneurs, many alumni of the university, will visit 55 UNCG classes to speak to students throughout the day. The presentation of the new Jerry McGuire Entrepreneurial Student Scholarship Award will also take place on that day.

NCEC, 2 minutes to win it, two minutes, North Carolina Entrepreneurship Center

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The North Carolina Entrepreneurship Center (NCEC) at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro provides co-curricular and outreach programs to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, and to serve as a catalyst for the creation of sustainable and globally competitive enterprises in the Piedmont Triad, North Carolina, and beyond. For more information, visit the NCEC’s website at ncec.uncg.edu or call 336-256-8649.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a high-research activity university as classified by the Carnegie Foundation. Founded in 1891 and one of the original three UNC system institutions, UNCG is the most diverse university in the state with 18,000 students and 3,000 faculty and staff members representing more than 90 nationalities. With 82 undergraduate, 63 master’s and 28 doctoral programs, UNCG is consistently recognized nationally among the top universities for academic excellence and value, with noted strengths in education, health and wellness, the performing arts, business and the arts and sciences, among others. For additional information, please visit uncg.edu.

 

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