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2014 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Finalists and Semi-Finalists Announced

Top teams move on to oral presentations

The best business plans from college and university teams statewide were recently selected to compete in the next round of the state’s premier business plan competition. Teams from seven Arkansas colleges and universities were announced today as finalists in the 14th annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition that is managed by The Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, an affiliate of The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group. On March 18 at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock, Ark., the 12 advancing semi-finalist undergraduate teams will make a 20-minute presentation to volunteer judges from the state’s business and entrepreneurial sectors. Afterward, they will answer questions from judges for 15 minutes. Two judges’ panels will determine the six finalist undergraduate teams. The six undergraduate finalist teams, along with the six graduate finalist teams, will compete in the last round of oral presentations for first-, second- and third-place prizes March 19 at the Embassy Suites. Again this year, teams will compete for cash prizes totaling $144,000, which will be awarded during the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup awards luncheon, Wednesday, April 9, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. The 2014 semi-finalists and finalists are:

Undergraduate Innovation Finalists

  • Arleesa, LLC – John Brown University
  • BioBotic Solutions – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • PUREnovation, Inc. – Ouachita Baptist University

Graduate Innovation Finalists

  • Datavis – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • HemaNotics – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • LumaDrop – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

Undergraduate Semi-Finalists

  • ABC Organic Soul Food – Arkansas Baptist College
  • Anova Energy – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • Arleesa, LLC – John Brown University
  • BioBotic Solutions – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • Funding Fathers – John Brown University
  • Guardian Angel – Harding University
  • Hitch-A-Que – Harding University
  • IDA: Inexpensive Daily Assistant – Harding University
  • LaunchPad Invents, LLC – Arkansas State University
  • ServeNow – Ouachita Baptist University
  • TruBake Technologies – John Brown University
  • WaterPulse Technologies – Ouachita Baptist University

Graduate Finalists

  • Datavis – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • HemaNotics – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • LumaDrop – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • talentt – University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
  • Tethystructure – Arkansas State University, Jonesboro
  • The Argenta Center – Hendrix College

The 2014 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Chairman-level sponsors for the competition are Arkansas Business; Delta Plastics; Farm Bureau; and Money & Politics Magazine. Sponsorships and tables for the event are still available. The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group of companies empower entrepreneurs by providing capital in conjunction with community banks to businesses through its capital availability products and advocating for entrepreneurs through capital, educational, and technological improvements. The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group serves as the platform from which new opportunities are launched. In addition to the flagship company, Arkansas Capital Corporation, there are seven affiliate and partner companies, including, Six Bridges Capital Corporation, Arkansas Capital Relending Corporation, Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, Heartland Renaissance Fund, Connect Arkansas, Pine State Regional Center, and SouthWind Analytics. To learn more, visit www.arcapital.com. AEAF was established in 1999, and is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to education-based initiatives that promote and foster the development of innovation and entrepreneurship within Arkansas. With broad support from the state’s business community, AEAF’s purpose is to nurture people and ideas to generate future Arkansas entrepreneurs.