2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Finalists and Semi-Finalists Announced

The best business plans from college and university teams statewide were recently selected to compete in the next round of the state’s premier business plan competition. Teams from six Arkansas colleges and universities were announced today as finalists in the 15^th annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition that is managed by The Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, an affiliate of The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group. On April 2 at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock, AR., the 12 advancing semi-finalist undergraduate teams will make a 20-minute presentation to volunteer judges from the state’s business and entrepreneurial sectors. Afterward, they will answer questions from judges for 15 minutes. Two judges’ panels will determine the six finalist undergraduate teams. The six undergraduate finalist teams, along with the six graduate finalist teams, will compete in the last round of oral presentations for first-, second- and third-place prizes April 3 at the Embassy Suites. Again this year, teams will compete for cash prizes totaling $154,000, which will be awarded during the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup awards luncheon, Wednesday, April 22, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. Tickets to the luncheon are still available and can be purchased here. The 2015 semi-finalists and finalists are:

Undergraduate Innovation Finalists

• Conner Innovation – University of Arkansas
• Food Trucks 101 – Arkansas Tech University
• TIRE – Harding University

Graduate Innovation Finalists

• Agricultural Innovations – Arkansas State University
• BioBridge, LLC – University of Arkansas
• Saf-Tech – Arkansas State University

Undergraduate and Graduate Agriculture Finalists

• Agricultural Innovations – Arkansas State University
• Baby Booster – University of Arkansas
• Con Quesos – University of Arkansas
• Grand Prairie Husk – Arkansas State University
• GSS Grow.Supply.Sustain. – University of Arkansas
• HerbanMarket – Harding University
• Hilltop Beer Co. – University of Arkansas
• Natural Cattle – Harding University

Undergraduate Semi-Finalists

• BestTrac – Harding University
• Charlie’s Choices – John Brown University
• Con Quesos – University of Arkansas
• Conner Innovation – University of Arkansas
• Explosive Performance LLC – Ouachita Baptist University
• GSS Grow.Supply.Sustain. – University of Arkansas
• Natural Cattle – Harding University
• Opt-In – John Brown University
• ShareDat – John Brown University
• TIRE – Harding University
• Truvenir, LLC – John Brown University
• UBridge – Arkansas Tech University

Graduate Finalists

• Agricultural Innovations – Arkansas State University
• Baby Booster – University of Arkansas
• BioBridge, LLC – University of Arkansas
• Kordate Solutions, Inc. – University of Arkansas
• M-Power – University of Arkansas
• Saf-Tech – Arkansas State University

The 2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Chairman-level sponsors for the competition are Delta Plastics and Farm Bureau. Sponsorships and tables for the event are still available. The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group of companies empower entrepreneurs by providing capital in conjunction with community banks to businesses through its capital availability products and advocating for entrepreneurs through capital, educational, and technological improvements. The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group serves as the platform from which new opportunities are launched. In addition to the flagship company, Arkansas Capital Corporation, there are seven affiliate and partner companies, including, Six Bridges Capital Corporation, Arkansas Capital Relending Corporation, Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, Heartland Renaissance Fund, Connect Arkansas, Pine State Regional Center, and SouthWind Analytics. To learn more, visit www.arcapital.com. AEAF was established in 1999, and is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to education-based initiatives that promote and foster the development of innovation and entrepreneurship within Arkansas. With broad support from the state’s business community, AEAF’s purpose is to nurture people and ideas to generate future Arkansas entrepreneurs.