Prize total for 2007 Business Plan Contest exceeds $200,000 in services and cash

MADISON – Finalists in the 2007 Governor’s Business Plan Contest will share in prizes valued at more than $200,000, conference producers announced Thursday.

Winners in the contest will be announced Tuesday, June 12, at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference in Milwaukee. To register for the awards banquet or the full conference, which features nationally known speakers, 21 panel discussions and more, go to www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/events/ent_conf

“Our sponsors help make this contest very worthwhile for entrants who reach the final round,” said Tom Still, president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. “They support the contest because they know it has a track record for building the state’s tech-based economy.”

Prizes include cash, four separate offers of a year’s free rent in a business or tech park, legal services, accounting services, web site and information technology services and media-related services. Please see a full list of sponsors below.

Twenty-six entries from 16 communities are competing in the finalist round of the fourth annual BPC.

The contestants have survived two rounds of judging in the contest organized through the Tech Council, which is producing the contest in conjunction with its membership subsidiary, the Wisconsin Innovation Network, the Wisconsin Angel Network and other statewide affiliates. The contest began in late January with nearly 300 entries statewide.

The 26 remaining plans include ideas for products or services in energy generation or conservation, “green” building, disease management, information technology systems and security, drug research and production, nanotechnology products and personal safety.

Contestants have submitted a 20-page business plan for review by a panel of 65 judges established by the Tech Council, which is the independent, non-profit and non-partisan science and technology adviser to the Governor and the Legislature. The finalists’ executive summaries as well as those filed by semi-finalists are available for inspection by accredited investors through the Wisconsin Angel Network, which has 25 member angel networks, private equity funds or corporate strategic partners.

Cities with finalists in the contest are: Appleton, DePere, Greenville, Hubertus, Kaukauna, Madison, Marshfield, Menomonee Falls, Milwaukee, Montello, Oconomowoc, Oneida, Pleasant Prairie, Sheboygan, Shorewood and Wauwatosa. Entries were submitted in four categories: Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, Information Technology and Life Sciences.

Reporters wishing to contact individual contestants or learn more about their plans should contact Tom Still or Joe Kremer at 608-442-7557.

Sponsors of the 2007 BPC are:  Aberdean Consulting LLC, American Transmission Co., Associated Bank, Axley Brynelson LLP, The Boldt Company, CG Schmidt Co, Fitchburg Technology Campus, Foley & Lardner LLP, J.P. Cullen & Sons, Johnson Block CPAs; Loughrin Accounting & Tax Service, Madison Gas & Electric Co., Makin’ HEY! Communications, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Mason Wells Private Equity, McAllen TEC Campus, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Quarles & Brady LLP, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C., Ruedebusch Development & Construction, Smith & Gesteland LLP, State of Wisconsin Investment Board, T Wall Properties, University Research Park, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, WisBusiness.com, Wisconsin Angel Network, Wisconsin Realtors Association, Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, and the Wisconsin Technology Council.

Finalists are:

AMW NF Nonwovens (nanotech products)                    Bob Waldron                 Appleton

DLJ Solutions/Benequant (health data)                           Deb Matz                     Appleton

Bayland LLC (green building materials)                          CJ Schmidt                   De Pere

LogCentric (data “mining” and analysis)                         Dan Nickchen               Greenville

Household Energy Use Monitor                                      Brad Rake                    Hubertus

Elimanure (turning manure to energy)                             Paul Schneider              Kaukauna

Staff Management Systems (web-enabled scheduling)     Cheryl Vickroy              Madison

Extract Systems/ID Shield (identity theft protection)        David Rasmussen          Madison

Health Innovation Technologies, Inc. (optometry)            Scott Jens                     Madison

JotChat (personal information manager)                         Karen Blaedow             Madison

ProSentinel Prostate Cancer Vaccine                             Benjamin Lap                Madison

Stemina Biomarker Discovery (drug screening)               Elizabeth Donley           Madison

WindLift LLC (wind energy)                                          Robert Creighton           Madison           

10H Inc. (microscope sample handling)                           Mark Nelson                 Marshfield

SiteHound Inspection Software (building inspection)        Dave Neuman               Menomonee Falls

Promentis Pharmaceuticals (anti-psychotic drugs)           David Baker                 Milwaukee

Donate A Card (redeeming unused gift cards)                George Holtz                 Milwaukee

Fahlgreen Solutions (biometric identification)                   Susanne Kufahl             Montello

Vector Surgical (cancer surgical tools)                            Janet Phillips                 Oconomowoc

Stealth Therapeutics (cancer surgery access port)           Bradley Glenn               Oneida

NIR Inspection System (pharmaceutical process)            Joseph Trygar               Pleasant Prairie

Package Filling System (pharmaceutical process)            Kimberly Trygar            Pleasant Prairie

Medication Liquefier Manufacturing System                   Kimberly Trygar            Pleasant Prairie

Muth Global Vision (night driving aid)                             Kristi Lawrence             Sheboygan

JunTech (video surveillance tracking system)                  Jun Zhang                     Shorewood

Cardiopoietis (heart disease drugs)                                 John Baker                   Wauwatosa