Capstone Elevator Pitch Competition

Cash Prizes!

The University of Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute will be hosting the second annual Elevator Pitch Competition on Friday, February 22rd, 2008. The competition will coincide with the University’s Entrepreneurship Week which will take place February 22 – February 29, 2008. 

Participants in the competition will have 90 seconds to present their new venture idea to a judging panel that will include private equity investors, successful entrepreneurs and other experts in the field of Entrepreneurship.  The competition will be limited to 15 teams and cash prizes of $1000, $500, and $250 will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners, respectively.  To be eligible at least one team member must be currently enrolled at The University of Alabama and must hold a significant equity share in the new venture.     

The competition is open to all types of products/services.  Pitches will be judged on presentation quality, explanation of the business concept, and the quality of the proposed project and the market/commercial potential of the opportunity.

Interested participants should declare their intent to participate no later than February 15, 2008 at 5:00 pm CST by sending an email stating their intent to compete to Professor Lou Marino at lmarino@cba.ua.edu.  The email should include the businesses name, team contact information, and a brief (1 page single spaced) description of the company including a discussion of:

  • The Opportunity including the problem your business addresses, the product/service you will offer, the target market, how your business will solve the problem, and how will it create and capture value. 
  • The Company including an identification of management team members and their role in the new venture,  and the company’s history (if there is any to date).
  • The Products orServices including a description of products/services, and any potential competitive advantages of the products/services.

For additional information on the Elevator Speech Competition, please contact:

Professor Lou Marino
The University of Alabama
Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator
Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management
Culverhouse College of Commerce & Business Administration
205-348-8946
lmarino@cba.ua.edu