Cape Cod Entrepreneurs Weekend Winners Announced

One team took home the top cash prize and another the best technology idea recognition over the March 2-4 weekend at the 4th Annual Entrepreneurs’ Weekend, the Cape’s leading business plan competition organized by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and partners.

First place team was Grill-Its led by Christopher Van Vleck. His team is launching a new business featuring an outdoor grilling fuel that is neither charcoal nor gas. This team will receive $2,500 to advance the business plan and consulting assistance to move toward their business goals.

The second place team was SnaggerZ led by Joanne Armstrong, featuring a shoelace locking device. SnaggerZ’s innovative concept and plan was recognized with a presentation of the book & CD So What by author Mark Magnacca, who was present at the event.

The third team was Second Nature Gardenworks led by Shannon Goheen, who is re-launching a landscape design company. Goheen also received a copy of So What from the event organizers.

New to the event this year was a prize recognizing the best technology idea – which was awarded by the judges to Creek Power led by Carl Persson, featuring an idea to utilize estuary salt and fresh water flows to clean up the water and generate energy. Creek Power is pursuing an SBIR research grant.

A total of five teams participated in the event in Hyannis, pitching their final plans to the panel of judges led by business consultant Ernie Oliveira. Judges included Neal Gouck, Assistant Dean of UMass Charlton College of Business, Diana Jennings of the Bridgewater State University Center for Entrepreneurship Studies, and Robert B. Lamkin, of Bay Angels.

Cash prizes were sponsored by the Mass Office of Business Development, CapeNet, and Rogers & Gray Insurance. Two dozen people gathered in downtown Hyannis on Friday night to share ideas and pitch concepts. The networking process boiled down the list to five ideas around which teams formed. The teams worked through the weekend to craft a business plan, coached by area business advisors offering help with marketing data, financial structure, patents and licensing info and more. In the final three hours on Sunday, five presentations were awarded recognition – all received advice from the judges.“We continue to see entrepreneurs and team members from prior years because they continue to get so much out of the process”, said Chamber Entrepreneur in Residence and event leader, Peter Karlson. “Some of them called the weekend ‘transformational’.”

“I continue to be amazed at how well this process works”, said Cape Cod Chamber CEO Wendy Northcross, “Even those who didn’t place in the top three came away with valuable lessons on developing a plan and seeking investors.”

The business plan competition was organized and supported by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Cape Cod Community College, Coastal Community Capital, Cape Cod Technology Council, Cape & Islands Workforce Investment Board , Cape Cod Young Professionals, Cape Cod EDC, Community Development Partnership, MSBDC, and the Southern New England Entrepreneurs Forum.

The Cape Cod Chamber announced that it will organize a SmarterCape Start Up Weekend during global entrepreneurship month in November, 2012. Details will be posted online at www.ecapechamber.com.