Notre Dame Venture Fair showcases wide range of startup ideas

The Michiana community can learn more about innovative
business ideas first hand from the entrepreneurs themselves during the annual
Venture Fair hosted by the University of Notre Dame’s Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship. The fair will take place 10 a.m.-noon Friday, April 19, in
the Stayer Center for Executive Education. The event is free and open to the
public.

Now in its ninth year, the Venture Fair showcases select Notre
Dame startups in a format similar to an old-fashioned science fair, with
walk-through exhibitions describing the various ventures. This year, the
ventures run the gamut, from a natural gas outfitter designed to convert
gasoline-powered vehicles into bi-fuel vehicles that run on compressed natural
gas (CNG) as well as gasoline, to a professional basketball franchise that’s an
alternative to the NBA, to an instantaneous, accurate concussion assessment
service that can be used by untrained personnel. In all, more than 40 ventures,
including for- and nonprofit, will be represented.

The Venture Fair is held in conjunction with the final event
of the Gigot Center’s annual yearlong McCloskey Business Plan Competition. A
total of 148 teams entered the competition in the fall, which winnowed down to
12 semifinalists in March. On April 18, the semifinalist teams will pitch their
new ventures before a distinguished panel of judges. From this group, six
finalists will be selected to present live at 1:30 p.m. on April 19 in the
Mendoza College’s Jordan Auditorium. More than $300,000 in cash and in-kind prizes
will be awarded to the winning teams. The final presentations are free and open
to the public. 

The fair also will offer the opportunity to visit the
just-opened Stayer Center, which houses the Mendoza College of Business’
executive education programs. The 55,000-square-foot building, situated just
south of Mendoza College, was designed by famed architect firm Robert A.M.
Stern. 

For more information about the Gigot Center for
Entrepreneurship Venture Fair or the McCloskey Business Plan Competition, contact
the Gigot Center at (574) 631-3042.

/news_and_events/news_articles/article/12813/notre-dame-venture-fair-showcases-wide-range-of-startup-ideas