Teams from five Arkansas colleges and universities are the finalists in the 15th annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition, managed by Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation (AEAF), an affiliate of The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group. The finalists are:
Graduate Finalists
- Agricultural Innovations – Arkansas State University
- Baby Booster – University of Arkansas
- BioBridge, LLC – University of Arkansas
- Kordate Solutions, Inc. – University of Arkansas
- M-Power – University of Arkansas
- Saf-Tech – Arkansas State University
Undergraduate Finalists
- Opt-In – John Brown University
- Conner Innovation – University of Arkansas
- Charlie’s Choices – John Brown University
- G.S.S. – Grow. Supply. Sustain. – University of Arkansas
- TIRE – Harding University
- Explosive Performance, LLC – Ouachita Baptist University
Undergraduate Innovation Finalists
- Conner Innovation – University of Arkansas
- Food Trucks 101 – Arkansas Tech University
- TIRE – Harding University
Graduate Innovation Finalists
- Agricultural Innovations – Arkansas State University
- BioBridge, LLC – University of Arkansas
- Saf-Tech – Arkansas State University
Undergraduate and Graduate Agriculture Finalists
- Agricultural Innovations – Arkansas State University
- Baby Booster – University of Arkansas
- Con Quesos – University of Arkansas
- Grand Prairie Husk – Arkansas State University
- GSS Grow.Supply.Sustain. – University of Arkansas
- HerbanMarket – Harding University
- Hilltop Beer Co. – University of Arkansas
- Natural Cattle – Harding University
The winners of the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup will be announced April 22 in the following categories:
- Graduate Best Business Plan First Place – $25,000
- Graduate Best Business Plan Second Place – $15,000
- Graduate Best Business Plan Third Place – $10,000
- Undergraduate Best Business Plan First Place – $25,000
- Undergraduate Best Business Plan Second Place – $15,000
- Undergraduate Best Business Plan Third Place – $10,000
- Graduate Innovation First Place – $5,000
- Undergraduate Innovation First Place – $5,000
- Graduate and Undergraduate Agriculture First Place – $5,000
- Graduate and Undergraduate Agriculture Second Place – $3,000
- Undergraduate Elevator Pitch Award Winner – $2,000
- Graduate Elevator Pitch Award Winner – $2,000
Additionally, two C. Sam Walls Entrepreneur Educator Award winners, funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation to honor Walls for his commitment to entrepreneurial education in Arkansas, will be announced. Two college or university educators will be awarded the Walls Award along with a $2,500 cash prize each and $2,500 to their respective academic institutions for use in the furtherance of entrepreneurial education. Also, an elevator pitch competition will be held live at the luncheon, in which luncheon attendees will use text messaging to select the winners in the undergraduate and graduate categories. The top graduate and undergraduate elevator pitch winners will each receive $2,000. The top two undergraduate and graduate teams from the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup competition will compete against the top two teams from Nevada and Oklahoma for the Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Award in May, with first and second place prizes of $30,000 and $20,000 respectively awarded in the graduate and undergraduate tracks. The 2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Chairman-level sponsors for the competition are Delta Plastics and Farm Bureau. Presidential Level Sponsors are Arkansas Economic Development Commission; Coulson Oil Company, Inc.; Dillard’s; Harriet and Warren Stephens, Stephens, Inc.; the McLarty Companies; and Winrock International. 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.
