Cupid’s Cup Kicks off “30 Days of EnTERPreneurship”

The University of Maryland kicks off its 2013 “30 Days of EnTERPreneurship” this week on Friday, April 5 with the 8th annual Cupid’s Cup business competition, hosted by the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Six startups will compete in the national business competition, sponsored by Kevin Plank, CEO and founder of Under Armour. The finalists are vying for $70,000 in cash funding and exclusive access to a member of Plank’s professional network. Each will deliver a 6-minute business pitch to Plank and a panel of judges in front of 1,000 attendees at UMD’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The final competition day also includes a business and innovation showcase highlighting more than 50 startups and entrepreneurship organizations.

When: Friday, April 5, 2013

Business & Innovation Showcase, sponsored by BB&T: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742

Cupid’s Cup final competition: 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. 
Where: Dekelboum Concert Hall
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
University of Maryland 
College Park, MD 20742

Additional information is available at www.cupidscup.com.

The month-long celebration of UMD’s creative spirit also includes lectures, special events and competitions, including the Do Good Challenge on Wednesday, April 10, sponsored by actress Fran Drescher, founder of the Cancer Schmancer Movement. It will all culminate with Maryland Day, the university’s annual showcase with over 400 events.

UMD also launched a new web portal for innovation and entrepreneurship at the university. Innovation.umd.edu will serve as a central site for the Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, academic programs, university resources, events and competitions, and innovation news. The site contains a complete list of all of the events that are part of the “30 Days” celebration.

The Smith School will also continue to highlight entrepreneurship throughout the month. Each Friday, Smith showcases entrepreneurial activities at the school with its “Innovation Fridays” coverage. Coming up this month, follow an in-depth look at one stand-out MBA course, “Real 660,” (#Real660) that has students creating and running real businesses in a seven-week class. Watch the drama unfold in a multi-part video series featured as part of the Innovation Fridays coverage, available online.