1,000 Pitches!

How do you come up with a really valuable and novel idea? One way is to start with 1,000 ideas (your own or those of others). The University of Michigan produced over 2,000 ideas in its "1,000 Pitches" site. Unlike business plan competitions, whose merits for students remain untested, pitching competitions allow a far greater range of participants, reduce the need for producing dressed-up pro forma financials, and can be far more engaging to a broader audience. What's your idea for a novel and valuable pitching competition?

Do you really need a business plan?

The experts aren't so sure--but entrepreneurs like the founders of Roaring lion energy drink say it's a must. here's how to know if writing a business plan is for you. Read more.

Alabama Launchpad

The Alabama Launchpad is a not-for-profit consortium of Alabama universities designed to promote entrepreneurship in Alabama. One of the key functions that Launchpad performs is its annual business plan competition. The winning team receives $100,000, second place receives $50,000, and third place receives $25,000. Visit the site to see the "finale video" business plan presentation of the winning team of 2008.

SBA Business Plan template

Here is a useful and authoritative guide for how your business plan should assembled. Especially useful are the descriptions of what information goes into each section of the plan and what your audience should understand after reading it>

SBA Business Plan template