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16th Annual Henry R. Kravis Business Plan Competition

On Friday, December 2nd, a panel of judges selected CMC students Piao Hsiung Chiu, Nicolas Heidorn, and Scott Huan, all Class of 2006, as winners of this year's 16th annual Henry R. Kravis Business Plan Competition. Their submission, Virtual Exchange Post: Where Virtual Playgrounds Become Virtual Economies, beat out four other entries.

The top five plans were evaluated by a committee of practitioners in entrepreneurial ventures and venture capital. Panelists included alumni Kingdon Hughes '50, president and owner of Hughes Ventures, and CMC Trustee Gary Biszantz '56 P'08, president and owner of Cobra Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Sponsored by the Robert A. Day 4 + 1 BA/MBA Program at CMC and the Venture Finance Institute of the Drucker School of Management, the competition provides winners with a cash award. In conjunction, the winning entry will be used as the basis for the Robert A. Day Venture Capital Competition in the spring, requiring competitors to submit a proposal outlining funding of the Virtual Exchange Post plan.

Brian Dennis, associate director of the Day 4 + 1 Program, says panelists were struck by the level of professionalism exhibited by Chiu, Heidorn, and Huan during their presentation, as well as their ability to explain their business plan in a clear, succinct manner.

This year's submissions spanned a variety of industries including technology, education, health, and natural resources. The competition affords students the chance to present their business plans and ideas to CMC and Drucker alumni who are entrepreneurial practitioners and venture capitalists--an exposure not typically afforded to an undergraduate in this forum.

For more information, contact:

The Robert A. Day 4 + 1 BA/MBA Program
Bauer Center 329
Claremont McKenna College
500 E. Ninth Street
Claremont, CA 91711
Phone: 909-607-7365
E-mail: 4plus1@claremontmckenna.edu