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Recent Press Releases (U.S. and international) for magazine issues and staff changes may be found below. Please note that for many issues there exists only a highlights sheet, while for others there may also be a full press release. The cover of FSB's current issue is pictured at right. Please contact the appropriate communications staff member with any questions.
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FSB: FORTUNE SMALL BUSINESS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN CONTEST
PrepMe Corp. from Stanford University, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and University of Michigan, wins $35,000 first prize from SAP New York, October 18, 2005—FSB: FORTUNE Small Business announced today the winners of its third annual business plan contest. PrepMe Corp. captured FSB's $35,000 first prize as well as SAP Business One, a five-seat software package from SAP America, which, as the contest sponsor, provided all the prizes. PrepMe Corp., an online SAT-preparation startup was created by students from Stanford University, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and University of Michigan. Second prize of $10,000 went to NeuroLife, a company created by MBAs at Carnegie Mellon University who want to manufacture a noninvasive monitor designed to help in the early detection of brain injury and disease. Bigfoot Networks, Inc., a company from McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, claimed the $5,000 third prize with a new technology to prevent technical delays in online games. Entries in the "Student Showdown" came from business schools across the country. The winners were chosen from 82 entries from 66 schools including Harvard and UCLA — up from 58 entries in 2004. The complete story, including a list of runners-up, appears in the November 2005 issue of FSB: FORTUNE Small Business and at www.FSB.com. "All three of these teams represent the top entrepreneurial talent on our nation's campuses," said contest organizer Elaine Pofeldt, senior editor at FORTUNE Small Business magazine. "To claim our top prizes, these winning teams had to create more original and thorough business plans than an elite roster of competitors—and show a better ability to execute their business ideas to our judges." To find the teams, FSB invited the winners of business plan contests from American universities to compete against each other. Both undergraduate and graduate teams were eligible. Editors selected the top 50% of the plans submitted, based on strength of the management team and the viability, thoroughness, and newsworthiness of the business plan. The remaining contestants went through several rounds, including oral presentations and answering questions submitted in advance by opposing teams. The judging panel consisted of nine experts from business and academia. "SAP greatly values the opportunity to recognize the entrepreneurial talent being nurtured throughout the nation's universities and business schools," said Michael Sotnick, senior vice president, small and midsize enterprise, SAP America, Inc. "As the participants contribute to the vitality and growth of our economy, this invaluable experience will serve as the foundation towards their future business ventures." About FORTUNE Small Business About SAP: # # #
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Erin Clinton
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