TheBuzz
TheBuzz
A clash of tomorrow’s
business titans
at UH competitionA sort of Olympic trial kicks off this evening with a news conference and an opening reception, paving the way for intense competition.
A dozen teams from 11 graduate business schools in seven countries and Hawaii will square off against each other in the Asia Moot Corp. business plan competition, hosted by the University of Hawaii College of Business Administration.
The teams have been working on their plans since the beginning of the fall semester, said Shirley Daniel, director of the college's Pacific Asian Management Institute.
"Most have won the competition at their own universities and therefore they are representing their schools in this regional competition for Asia," she said.
Team members are masters of business administration students hoping to win the Asia-Pacific event this week and advance to further competition in Texas next month.
There is also a $5,000 first-prize award to be had for the Asia-Pacific winner.
It gets bigger after this.
Austin Moot Corp. in Texas is a global competition, Daniel said.
"Moot Corp. is really like the Superbowl or the Olympics of business plan competitions, so the prestige of moving on is a part of it," she said.
Another reason to shoot for the trip to Texas is the $100,000 top prize.
"For those teams that really want to start the business they have put in their plans, the hundred thousand is a really nice benefit," said Daniel.
Competing projects include: development of software for the creation and delivery of 3D content on the Internet, by Tigris 3D Software Technologies Co. Ltd. from National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan; energy-saving solutions for boilers and air conditioners by Turbo Flux Technology Ltd. from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; and the University of Hawaii team's plan to meet the increasing Chinese demand for imported high-end coffee with retail and wholesale distribution of coffee grown in Hawaii.
Other business plans involve an herbal remedy for periodontal disease, diagnostic testing kits for contagious diseases, production and sales of extra-fine silk powder, and various technological solutions for different industries.
Judges include business leaders from Hawaii and the mainland; the winner will be chosen Thursday afternoon.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com