Picasolar is a University of Arkansas graduate-level startup which created a technology that improves solar cells. It’s made an impressive run through the 2013 cycle of national business-plan competitions. Here’s a look at its 2013 accomplishments:
- Won the MIT Clean Energy Prize on May 6 and a total of $250,000 in prize money ($150,000 from MIT, $100,000 from the Department of Energy).
- Won the inaugural Banana Republic Grad Student Challenge through Net Impact and a first prize of $10,000.
- Won the 2013 IBK Capital-Ivey Business Plan Competition and $20,000 at the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario in January.
- Took third place and won the elevator pitch contest at the Stu Clark Investment Competition, hosted by the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, in March The team won $5,000 for finishing third and $1,000 for winning the elevator pitch contest.
- Won the graduate division and the $25,000 first prize at the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup collegiate business plan competition held in Little Rock in April.
- Finished second and won $2,500 at the annual New Venture Championship hosted by the University of Oregon.
- Though it didn’t place, Picasolar competed in the prestigious Rice University and Venture Lab(University of Texas) competitions. Just qualifying a team for either is considered a win by many schools.
Click here to read the full article from Arkansas Business.
