Oct. 5 Iowa Venture Capital and Entrepreneur Conference launches fifth annual Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan Competition 2004

AMES, Iowa -- Several Iowa State University students will attend the fifth annual Iowa Venture Capital and Entrepreneur Conference on Oct. 5. The conference will be at the Polk County Convention Center, Des Moines. The students will have the opportunity to network with small business owners, potential investors, and financial services and government agency representatives who work with new businesses.

Students will learn about business plan development, deal structures and the forms of venture capital/seed money available in the state. Iowa entrepreneurs also will share their case studies.

The Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan Competition 2004 will be kicked off during the conference. John Pappajohn, Des Moines, and his company, Equity Dynamics Inc., sponsor the competition, which is open to all Iowa university and college full- or part-time students with an interest in owning their own businesses. Three winners each will receive $5,000 in seed money.

The deadline to file an intent-to-compete form is Tuesday, Oct. 19; the deadline for submission of the application and business plan is Monday, Nov. 29. Regional competitions will be held at all five Pappajohn Centers for Entrepreneurship in Iowa from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3. Final judging will be by Equity Dynamics staff on Friday, Dec. 10.

For more information on the business plan competition, visit www.isupjcenter.org/programs/new_venture_planning.