Winners of last year’s Bard Center Business Plan Competition took home a total of $20,500.

The Business School

For the past few years, the Bard Center has been instrumental in fostering new business in its graduate courses in entrepreneurship. In addition to its graduate courses and now one undergraduate offering, the center provides the opportunity for graduate students, faculty, and alumni from the University of Colorado s(all three campuses), Colorado School of Mines, and Colorado State University to put their best-made plans to the test. The fourth annual Bard Center Business Plan Competition seeks to promote the development of high-caliber business plans, recognize the most outstanding plans with cash and in-kind awards from area businesses, and encourage the creation of new businesses.

Last year’s winning plan was for a “metro” men’s styling salon, for the guys who are hip on style. The year before, the winner was a motor that could attach to any bicycle enabling it to reach up to 30 miles per hour.

April 7 is the deadline to apply to compete in this year’s event. The full business plans must be submitted by May 6. Finalists will be notified on June 2 and the presentations and awards luncheon will be June 15.

A total of $20,500 in cash awards will be given to the top six business plans in addition to more than $25,000 of in-kind awards to the winners. Special award categories include biotech/life sciences and nonprofit.

Special award categories have been created for the top business plans in the biotech/life sciences and nonprofit business fields to encourage the development of business plans from these two important business segments, Bard officials said.

For more information about the fourth annual Bard Center Business Plan Competition, go to www.cudenver.edu/bard.