The Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup is the premier, statewide business plan competition for college and graduate students. The awards luncheon was held April 17, 2017, at the Statehouse Convention Center with over 500 people in attendance. This year’s theme was “The Clash for the Cash,” and the event showcased the entrepreneurial talent of students from across our state.
These entrepreneurs were among more than 2,500 competitors who have been a part of the Governor’s Cup’s prestigious history, representing 839 teams from 24 campuses across Arkansas. The winners have taken away a cumulative $2.05 million in cash prize awards, including the $152,000 cash prize awards that were given away this year.
This year’s winners include:
Donald W. Reynolds Undergraduate Division Award:
First Place: AgChron Technology, University of Arkansas– $25,000
Second Place: Easy Dam, John Brown University– $15,000
Third Place: Pasture Parent, Arkansas State University– $10,000
Donald W. Reynolds Graduate Division Award:
First Place: Rejuvenics Technologies, University of Arkansas – $25,000
Second Place: Grox Industries, University of Arkansas– $15,000
Third Place: RED BioBattery, University of Arkansas – $10,000
Arkansas Farm Bureau Agriculture Division Award:
First Place: AgChron Technology, University of Arkansas– $5,000
Second Place: Ghost Pot Busters, John Brown University– $3,000
Delta Plastics Innovation Division Award, Undergraduate Team Winner:
Vitele, Harding University- $5,000
Delta Plastics Innovation Division Award, Graduate Team Winner:
Grox Industries, University of Arkansas- $5,000
Awards Luncheon Elevator Pitch, Undergraduate Winner:
Easy Dam, John Brown University- $2,000
Awards Luncheon Elevator Pitch, Graduate Winner:
Ghost Pot Busters, John Brown University– $2,000
The top two teams in the Reynolds Overall Graduate and Undergraduate teams now head to Las Vegas for the 10th annual Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Competition, May 30 and 31, at The Mirage! Good luck and congratulations to our winners!
Since 2001, the Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation (AEAF), a 501(c)(3) affiliate of Arkansas Capital, has challenged students with ideas for new or better products or services to see if they could be profitable by putting it through a rigorous and real-world entrepreneurial process — while at the same time having the chance to win big cash awards! Thank you to the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation for their generosity.
For more information about the Donald W Reynolds Governor’s Cup, visit https://acccapital.com/governors-cup/.