CONTEST! Yay! I want to know what is your New Years Resolution for your business? What do you hope to do better in 2008 and how will you do it? Will you put in longer hours? Treat your employees better? Work on double digit sales growth?
Tell me your Business’ New Years Resolution (or if you don’t yet have a business, what you want to accomplish related to business in ‘08). Put your response as a comment to this post. I will select the best story on January 14, and the winner will receive a $25 Best Buy Gift Certificate.
Man, these days everyone is having entrepreneur contests. You would think the life of an entrepreneur is all ferrari’s and pixie sticks (I don’t know where I came up with this expression, but I promise to never use it again). Many of these contests provide cash prizes, some offer mentoring and professional services as well. Here are three to consider entering:
1. ATG’s e-Commerce Ingenuity Business Plan Competition– ATG is offering a first prize of $50,000 for a business plan competition. E-commerce must be a business-critical component in the plan. There is also a $10,000 second “people’s choice” prize. Deadline to enter is January 30, 2008.
2. Advanta’s Ideablob Monthly Business Idea Contest — Advanta is running monthly contests on its Ideablob websitesite. $10,000 to be given away each month. See the site to browse current ideas, submit your own, and to see additional contest info.
3. Intuit’s “Just Start” Startup Contest — Offers a grand prize of $50,000 (a grant of cash and services) and two prizes of $5,000. Submit your startup story or the story of a business you plan to start. Deadline to enter is December 15, 2007.
Spigit is a relatively new website that provides a community of startups. Just like other websites out there, they provide a forum for entrepreneurs to describe their business and a way for users to rank the ideas they like.
However, Spigit is a little bit unorthodox, it is actually a game. I am still trying to grasp how exactly it works, but it sounds like people vote on if they like your idea, you take your company public (in the game), and then people trade shares of your stock. Your goal obviously is to maximize your company’s value. The idea is unique and they are in beta now, launching on November 1. Great prizes are given away for the top finishing companies.
Do you have a great startup idea, but don’t have the funds to get it going? A new contest called YouBeTheVC.com has launched inspired by our love of “reality TV.” YouBeTheVC.com was created by New York-based VC firm Bang Ventures. The contest offers aspiring entrepreneurs who have the next big idea to compete for a chance to receive funding and mentoring. The top 3 selected entrepreneurs will be given office space in the Boston area, a $15,000 stipend, and additional guidance and services.
The contest is simple to enter. Just fill out an official application and questionnaire including business plan description for a software project, Web-based business, wireless project, social networking site, Web 2.0 project, or similar venture at YouBeTheVC.com by 11:59 pm (EST) on December 14, 2007.
Watch the video (below) which explains the contest in further detail.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is searching for the next hot start up that is building a business on Amazon Web Services.
If you have a new idea or an existing application that uses Amazon Web Services, then enter the AWS Start-Up Challenge. You can win $50,000 in cash, $50,000 credit toward Amazon Web Services, an investment offer from Amazon, and mentoring sessions from an Amazon Web Services Technical Expert.
The contest is open to any developers, entrepreneurs, and start-ups, and you can enter by completing an online application by October 28, 2007.
The Amazon judges’ panel will review all applications and choose five finalists, based on originality and creativity of the idea, likelihood of long-term success, how well it addresses a need in the marketplace, and implementation of pay-as-you-use Amazon Web Services.
Finalists will be announced in November and Amazon will produce a video of each finalist to post on aws.amazon.com where the community can vote for their favorite start-up.
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Contests | Tagged: contest, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, money, new years, win | 
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Posted by Josh
Do you have a great startup idea, but don’t have the funds to get it going? A new contest called 
If you have a new idea or an existing application that uses Amazon Web Services, then enter the AWS Start-Up Challenge. You can win $50,000 in cash, $50,000 credit toward Amazon Web Services, an investment offer from Amazon, and mentoring sessions from an Amazon Web Services Technical Expert.
