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University of Maryland Business School
Names
Finalists in $50,000 Business Plan
Competition
Beijing, China – August 8, 2007
— The University of Maryland’s
Robert H. Smith School of Business today
announced the 20 semifinalists of the
school’s 2007 China Business Plan
Competition. The competition will award
winners with more than $50,000 in cash
and prizes, including a $25,000 grand
prize, $15,000 second prize and $10,000
third prize. The Smith School’s Dingman
Center for Entrepreneurship hosts the
China Business Plan Competition, now in
its third year, in support of the growth
of world-class business ideas and
business leaders in China.
Entrepreneurship is a key area of focus
for the Smith School, which offers its
leading Executive MBA programs in
Beijing and Shanghai.
“My congratulations to the
semifinalists,” said Howard Frank, dean
of the Robert H. Smith School of
Business. “Each year I am impressed by
the number and quality of entries, and
this year is no exception.”
“Submissions this year demonstrate
that Chinese entrepreneurs have their
thumb on the pulse of the global
economy. Ideas focused on several
growing categories including mobility
services, clean tech and social
networking,” said Asher Epstein,
managing director of the Dingman Center
for Entrepreneurship at the Smith
School. “In particular we noticed
entrepreneurs addressing local trends
within the Chinese economy with business
concepts highlighting pollution
management, recycling and energy
efficiency.”
This year’s semifinalists were chosen
from approximately 200 submitted
executive summaries. Teams will develop
full 15- to 25-page business plans by
Aug. 17, and on Aug. 28, five will be
selected to participate in a final round
competition and awards ceremony at the
Innovation Plaza within TsingHua Science
Park in Beijing on Sept. 10. In addition
to $50,000 in cash prizes, the top three
winning teams will be awarded with
entrepreneurship training sessions that
will include a custom workshop from the
Dingman Center, and full-year
subscriptions to BusinessWeek
China. This year’s final round
competition will be co-hosted by
Zhongguancun Science Park, China’s
leading technology development zone
located in Beijing and a main
competition sponsor.
Sponsors for the third annual China
Business Plan Competition include: CCTV-Win
in China, Zhongguancun Science Park,
State of Maryland Department of Business
and Economic Development, New York
Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), ING
Investment Management Asia/Pacific,
Opus8, Wang Jing Science Park, Sinoway
Investment Corporation, Emerging
Technology Partners LLC, Zero2IPO, China
Growth Capital, China Venture Capital
Association, Microsoft China Co. Ltd.,
The Wall Street Journal Chinese
Online Edition, Discovering Value, China
Entrepreneurs and BusinessWeek
China.
The Smith School in China
The Smith School is partnered with the
University of International Business and
Economics to deliver its top-ranked
programs in China. The school is helping
China meet a critical need for MBA
graduates and world-class business
leadership by delivering its leading
Executive MBA programs in Beijing and
Shanghai, as well as through its
successful custom executive programs.
For more information about the Smith
School’s China programs, visit:
http://www.rhsmith-umd.cn.
About the University of Maryland’s
Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of
Business is an internationally
recognized leader in management
education and research. One of 13
colleges and schools at the University
of Maryland, College Park, the Smith
School offers undergraduate, full-time
and part-time MBA, Executive MBA,
Executive MS, PhD, and executive
education programs, as well as outreach
services to the corporate community. The
school offers its degree, custom and
certification programs in learning
locations on four continents — North
America, Europe, Africa and Asia. More
information about the Robert H. Smith
School of Business can be found at
www.rhsmith.umd.edu.
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