Gillespie Business Plan Competition

Marquee Event for the Academic Year

The marquee event for the academic year is the Edwin C. Gillespie Business Plan Competition, held at the end of the spring semester. There’s are rules and deadlines soon after the beginning of the spring term, so keep an eye on the upcoming events and following the Center’s Twitter Feed to stay up to date. Check out the rules to learn more!

The initial deadline for the Gillespie Business Plan requires you to enter with the simple online application form.  Give us all the details you have. Tell the judges if you know how you will make money, how you will produce, why your customers will love your product.

After the initial round, teams will present to a panel of judges. If you convince them you’ve got a great plan and move up to the final round, we’ll need you to write a formal business plan.  Don’t worry though, we’ve got mentors, faculty, and peers ready to coach you up.

Entry into the Gillespie is also the gateway for the Colbert-Community Bank Innovation Award, a $5000 prize awarded to the outstanding Gillespie team driven by innovation in a product, process or service through the application or development of a technological change. The judging panel for the annual Gillespie Business Plan Competition will determine the winner.

APPLY NOW

The endowment for the competition was provided in honor of Edwin C. Gillespie in 2006, a 1943 business administration graduate. His widow, Jean Gillespie, and brother, Joe Gillespie, a 1950 liberal arts graduate, helped establish the endowment to assist students in promoting concepts in entrepreneurship.

Share this Page

Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on CIE news.