Business ideas with SX appeal

Seven outstanding commercialisation prospects have been selected to vie for $100,000 in seed capital in The University of Queensland Business School’s Enterprize competition.

Now in its sixth year, the lucrative business plan competition again attracted a quality field of entries with much discussion among the judges to come up with the final seven.

UQ Business School Head Professor Tim Brailsford said the finalists covered a wide range of business ideas.

“The finalists range from GetCracking – a system to extend the life of concrete roads and make them cheaper to build – to a process for manufacturing transfusible neutrophils that could potentially save thousands of lives,” Professor Brailsford said.

The finalists are GetCracking, Imprezzeo (image recognition software), PepFactants (a technology breakthrough for industries using emulsions and foams), BioShield (a vaccine for a virus that has devastated the aquaculture industry globally), Neutropharma (transfusible neutrophils), Ausonex (a hearing test instrument that doubles the speed of testing), and LanguageMap (a cost-efficient way of testing English language skills).

Professor Brailsford said the finalists would submit detailed business plans by September 28 and be interviewed by the judging panel on October 4.

“The final stage is Pitch Day where all the finalists pitch their idea to the judging panel and a packed house including much of Queensland’s venture capital community,” he said.

“One of the most exciting things about last year’s Pitch Day was to see all the finalists – not just winners Hydrexia and LEO Tuning – in deep conversation with potential investors at the after-party.

“Hydrexia won the $100,000 while LEO Tuning was awarded the i.lab prize – a 12-month tenancy in Queensland’s technology incubator.”

For tickets to Pitch Day on Friday October 13, contact Amy Hyslop on (07) 3365 8561 or e-mail a.hyslop@business.uq.edu.au.

For more information, contact Cathy Stacey on (07) 3365 6179 or 0434 074 372.