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University of Maryland Announces Semifinalists for the UM $75K Business Plan Competition

Now in its tenth year, the competition is administered by the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech), an initiative of the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Previous winners include five multi-million dollar ventures; two were named to the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. in 2009 by Inc. Magazine.

Semi-finalists were selected among 40 entries in the categories of biotechnology, high technology, and undergraduate students. Entries, submitted as executive summaries, were judged based upon their value proposition, competitive advantage, target market, profit model, intellectual property, and clarity.

Semi-finalists for the 2010 University of Maryland $75K Business Plan Competition include:

Biotechnology Category

    --  Aeramatics is developing InSpiro, a spirometer (measures the volume of
        air inspired and expired by the lungs) that reduces post-operative
        complications by reminding patients to use it, tracking usage, and
        setting targets. Team: Eranga Fernando, undergraduate, department of
        criminology and criminal justice; Himali Fernando, 2009 alumnus,
        Fischell Department of Bioengineering.
    --  CloudSolar plans to manufacture affordable systems for capturing solar
        thermal energy and converting it into electricity. Team: Michael Armani,
        Ph.D. student, Fischell Department of Bioengineering.
    --  ProlifiTEC is developing a prolific, cost-effective bioreactor to
        engineer or grow bone and cartilage tissue for various medical implants.
        Team: Jonathan Mayer, MBA student, Robert H. Smith School of Business;
        John Fisher, associate professor, Fischell Department of Bioengineering.
    --  Red Gill Aquaculture intends to build and manage intensive, large-scale
        industrial fish production in China using tanks situated in strategic
        inland cities. Team: Brian Childs, MBA student, Robert H. Smith School
        of Business; Carter McJunkin, MBA student, Robert H. Smith School of
        Business.

High Technology Category

    --  Degree Energy Services is developing a system to manage energy use in
        large commercial buildings to balance the electrical grid
        minute-to-minute by adjusting demand. Team: Max Epstein, graduate
        student, School of Public Policy; John Silberholz, undergraduate
        student, departments of mathematics and computer science; Dylan Rebois,
        undergraduate student, department of mechanical engineering; Erik Li,
        undergraduate student, department of biological resources engineering;
        Nancy Zhen, undergraduate student, departments of finance and computer
        science.
    --  Flexion Energy is developing a patent-pending polymer electrolyte that
        allows for the creation of lighter, safer and flexible batteries. Team:
        Ayan Ghosh, Ph.D. student, department of chemical and biomolecular
        engineering; Aaron Fisher, Ph.D. student, department of chemical and
        biomolecular engineering; Peter Kofinas, Professor, Fischell Department
        of Bioengineering.
    --  Modisco Inc. is developing a platform for communication between small-
        and medium-sized enterprises and their consumer bases. Team: Akhil
        Singh, MBA student, Robert H. Smith School of Business; Ashok Agrawala,
        professor, department of computer science.
    --  Omnispeech LLC has developed a speech extraction technology for voice
        communications. Team: Carol Espy-Wilson, professor, department of
        electrical and computer engineering; Tarun Pruthi, research associate,
        department of electrical and computer engineering.
    --  Roboseed LLC is developing a low-cost, reliable, micro-scale aerial
        vehicle for commercial and military applications. Team: Evan Ulrich,
        graduate student, department of aerospace engineering; Christopher
        Rajashekar, MBA student, Robert H. Smith School of Business; Christopher
        Magnan, MBA student, Robert H. Smith School of Business; Aswani
        Valiveti, MBA student, Robert H. Smith School of Business; Jesse Reich,
        UM alumnus; Darryll Pines, dean, A. James Clark School of Engineering.
    --  Video Semantics has developed a proprietary video search solution that
        retrieves only the relevant segments of videos that match the semantic
        meaning of a user's query. Team: Wael Abd-Almageed, assistant research
        scientist, University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer
        Studies; Mohamed Hefeeda.
    --  VisiSonics has developed a platform for the creation, management and
        processing of real-time 3-D audio and visual content. Team: Adam
        O'Donovan, graduate student, department of computer science; Ramani
        Duraiswami, associate professor, department of computer science.
    --  weBike offers a fast, convenient and reliable way to share and access
        bikes using mobile and Web technologies, as well as social initiatives,
        to foster a culture of biking. Team: Allie Armitage, staff, Robert H.
        Smith School of Business; Brad Eisenberg, student, A. James Clark School
        of Engineering; Yasha Portnoy, undergraduate student, department of
        computer science.

Undergraduate Category

    --  DoseSpot has developed an easy to use and easy to integrate Web-based
        medication prescribing system that connects medical technology vendors
        to the SureScripts electronic prescribing network. Team: Greg
        Waldstreicher, undergraduate student, department of accounting &
        information assurance; Gideon Platt.
    --  Escrow Trading Company is an international business-to-business trade
        service connecting American buyers with a trusted network of Chinese
        manufacturers. Team: Daniel Horowitz, undergraduate student, Robert H.
        Smith School of Business; Sam Winter, undergraduate student, department
        of civil & environmental engineering; Brian Peisach, undergraduate
        student, departments of accounting & information assurance and
        marketing; Alex Sposito, department of materials science engineering.
    --  Location Aware Integration Solutions aims to provide the hospitality
        industry with point-of-sale and location aware solutions, making it
        possible for consumers to use their mobile phones to interact with local
        businesses to browse company products, view promotions, and make
        purchases. Team: Rohan Oswal, undergraduate student; Omar Sardar.
    --  MotivAGE is a mobile gaming application that will provide obese and
        overweight children with an interactive, fun, and rewarding weight loss
        and fitness experience that will promote goal-setting, teamwork, and
        visual results. Team: D'Angelo Perrier, undergraduate student,
        department of business information systems; Myeshia Workeman, department
        of finance; Wenting Jian, department of accounting and information
        assurance.
    --  Peer Advantage Tutors is developing personalized, online tutoring
        services for students who want to make a connection with tutors at an
        affordable price. Team: Benjamin Kubic, undergraduate student, Robert H.
        Smith School of Business.
    --  TutorialHub is an online marketplace for instructional videos that aims
        to lower publishers' barrier to entry, improve profit margins, and
        streamline the process for buying and selling instructional videos.
        Team: Venkat Dinavahi, undergraduate student, department of computer
        science; Shaan Bhagat.

The tenth annual University of Maryland $75K Business Plan Competition promotes the commercialization of innovative ideas and university-created technologies by offering faculty and students prizes for the best new venture plans. The competition emphasizes learning through coaching and the experience of presenting ideas to an expert panel of judges.

Sponsors of the 2010 competition are Nixon Peabody LLP and Fish & Richardson P.C.

For more information about the University of Maryland $75K Business Plan Competition, visit www.bpc.umd.edu.

SOURCE University of Maryland