Business Plan contest winners

Twenty-four teams of college entrepreneurs and five Washington high school teams presented their innovations in the 14th annual Business Plan Competition April 23-24,

hosted by WSU's Carson College of Business. The college student bio-tech startup, Engage, walked away with the first place award of $15,000, while BPR Homeowner services, a team from Mead High School in Spokane, won the high school award of $5,000. The professional and academic judges evaluated teams on their solutions to customer problems, marketing and sales strategies, management, financial analysis, the presentation itself, and the merit of their business plans.

Engage, the winning college team, develops innovative medical technologies aimed at preventing illness and death caused by the reuse of needles in the administration of medication and vaccines. SafeShot, their prototype, is a lid that attaches to multi-use vials for medication that sterilizes the needles as they enter the vial.

The Business Plan Competition provides an annual opportunity for students to build their entrepreneurial skills in a real-world setting offering mentoring, scholarships and prize money.