Cash Prizes & Awards

$800,000 in cash and in-kind prizes will be awarded during the 2009 Rice Business Plan Competition. A $125,000 investment will be offered to the Grand Prize winner of the competition in addition to $20,000 cash, and $80,000 of in-kind services.  Three additional $100,000 investment prizes will be awarded in Life Science and Energy/IT/Nano/Aerospace and Tech Transfer.

All teams are guaranteed to win at least one cash prize. Over $160,000 in cash will be distributed among the 36 teams, in addition to the four investment prizes totaling $425,000, plus approximately $150,000 in in-kind prizes will be awarded to the twelve Finalist teams.

Finalists

Second Place Team	$15,000 Cash
Third Place Team	$  7,500 Cash
Fourth Place Team	$  5,000 Cash
Fifth Place Team	$  4,000 Cash
Sixth Place Team	$  3,000 Cash
Seventh Place Team	$  3,000 Cash

Top 3 Finalists receive:  Business Mentoring & Coaching from Silver Fox Advisors ($3,600 value)
Top 7 Finalists receive:  "Plug and Play" environment from 1-Service.com ($2,000 value)
All 12 Finalists receive and Wildcard Teams receive:  Microsoft Office and Windows Server software ($1,450 value)

Investment Prizes

Greater Houston Partnership/Opportunity Houston Investment Award - Life Science	$100,000 Investment - Best Life Science Technology Company (Relocation to Houston required)
Greater Houston Partnership/Opportunity Houston Investment Award - Energy/IT/Nano/Aerospace	$100,000 Investment - Best Energy/IT/Nano Aerospace Technology Company (Relocation to Houston required)
DFJ Mercury Tech Transfer Investment Prize	$100,000 Investment - Best business plan based on technology that is a university "spin-out"

Special Awards

Please review the official rules for special awards which outlines the requirements to qualify for the following awards.

Dow Sustainability Award	$20,000 - Best Sustainability Business Plan
NASA Earth/Space Life Science Innovation Award	$20,000 - Best LS plan with earth/space applications
NASA Earth/Space Engineering Innovation Awards (3)	$20,000 - Best Eng. plan with earth/space applications (3)
HFBE 2nd Place Sustainability Award	$5,000 - Second Place Sustainability Business Plan
Fish & Richardson IP Powerhouse Award	$2,500 cash Best Intellectual Property +   $12,500 in-kind Patent Application Services
BBVA Compass Bank          International Team Award	$2,500 - Best International Team
Essex Woodlands Life Science Award	$2,500 - Best Life Science Business Plan
Medical Device Award	$2,500 - Best Medical Device
Palo Alto Software          Outstanding Business Plan Award	$2,500 - Best Written Business Plan
Pearland Economic Development Corporation          Outstanding Nanotechnology Award	$2,500 - Best Nanotechnology Business Plan
Herrera Partners Hispanic Business Plan Award	$2,500 - Best Business Plan from a Hispanic Team
RPSEA Energy Award	$2,500 - Best Energy Business Plan
I.T. Award	$2,500 - Best I.T or Wireless Business Plan
Houston Business Journal           Sales & Marketing Award	$2,500 - Best Sales and Marketing Plan
Greenberg Traurig LLP	$1,000 - Best Company Showcase

Social Venture Award

New Special Track:  $10,000 Sheafor-Lindsay Social Venture Award
This is a complimentary competition for social ventures - participants will not advance to final round.

Murphree Venture Partners Wildcard Round

First Place Team	Advances to Final Round  (Min. cash prize of $2,000)
Second Place Team	$1,500
Third Place Team	$1,000
Fourth Place Team	$1,000
Fifth Place Team	$750
Sixth Place Team	$750

Challenge Rounds

Challenge Round A	1st Place:  $750	2nd Place:  $600	3rd Place:  $450	4th Place:  $200
Challenge Round B	1st Place:  $750	2nd Place:  $600	3rd Place:  $450	4th Place:  $200
Challenge Round C	1st Place:  $750	2nd Place:  $600	3rd Place:  $450	4th Place:  $200
Challenge Round D	1st Place:  $750	2nd Place:  $600	3rd Place:  $450	4th Place:  $200
Challenge Round E	1st Place:  $750	2nd Place:  $600	3rd Place:  $450	4th Place:  $200
Challenge Round F	1st Place:  $750	2nd Place:  $600	3rd Place:  $450	4th Place:  $200
Challenge Round G	1st Place:  $750	2nd Place:  $600	3rd Place:  $450	4th Place:  $200

Austin Ventures Elevator Pitch Competition

First Place Team	$1,000
Second Place Team	$750
Third Place Team	$750
Fourth Place Team	$500
Fifth Place Team	$500

Teen Awarded Elevator Pitch  $1,000