University of Oregon MBA students find
"essence" of victory in business plan competition
Aqua Essence, a would-be new venture that markets a complete arsenic treatment system to community water entities, was the winning concept at the Quest for AdVenture MBA business plan competition held Thursday night December 6, 2002 at the University of Oregon. The team's business plan was selected over second place finisher SeatBack Media, a direct marketing services concept, and third place finisher Camilia, a custom footwear design concept. Aqua Essence team members Peter Baldwin, Joseph Beck, and Paul Weese, all second-year MBA students, will share a $1000 first place prize and go on to represent the University at the New Venture Championship international business plan competition next April in Portland.
The annual Quest for AdVenture, a competition for students from the University's business school, is presented by the University's Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship. The event features student teams that present their written new venture business plans to a panel of judges selected from the local business community. The competition is the culmination of new venture planning courses taught at the business school. Teams are judged on the feasibility of their concepts, the quality of their presentations, and the content of their plans.
Thursday's competition was the first of three to be held this academic year. The next two Quest competitions, one for undergraduate business majors and another for business minors, will be held over the next two terms.
