Gillespie Business Plan Competition

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Marquee Event for the Academic Year

The marquee event for the academic year is the Edwin C. Gillespie Business Plan Competition, held on April 10th-11th.

Priority Deadline

The first 10 student teams who enter will have the chance to receive an additional $250 in funding if they pitch on competition day and also enter the Landshark Tank Pitch Competition. They will be automatically considered for the CIE Discovery Grant. The priority deadline for the 2025 Gillespie Business Plan Competition is Friday, March 7th.

Final Deadline

The final deadline for Gillespie Business Plan Competition is Friday, March 28th.

Everyone who enters has the opportunity to pitch. Check out the rules to learn more!

Once your entries are submitted, you will be connected with our CIE mentors who will help you develop your idea and presentation.

Format

Preliminary Round

5 minute pitch + 5 minute Q&A

There will be multiple breakout groups and each group has multiple teams.

Final Round

5 minute pitch + 5 minute Q&A

Seven teams advance to the final round. Everyone is invited to attend and watch the final presentations.

Prizes (see Prize Rules for more information)

Melanie and Doug Wilson Entrepreneur 1st place Prize: $20,000 + office space at Insight Park
2nd place: $10,000
Five runners-up: $1,250 each

Entry into the Gillespie is also the gateway for the following awards:

W. Thomas Colbert-Community Bank Innovation Award – a $5,000 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;
Lynn and Ron Samuels Student Entrepreneur Award – a $5,000 prize awarded to a student entrepreneur team who exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit through a venture driven by innovation in a product, process or service;
Stephen E. Rowell Entrepreneur Award – a $5,000 prize awarded to a student entrepreneur venture team or individual, who exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit through a venture driven by innovation in a product, process or service;
GenTeal Apparel Consumer-facing Award – a $5,000 prize awarded to a student entrepreneur venture team who exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit through a venture driven by the Best Consumer-facing Business Concept (e.g., retail shop, restaurant, bakery, apparel);
Edward G. Francis, Sr. Entrepreneur Award – a $2,500 prize awarded to a student entrepreneur venture team or individual, who exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit through a venture driven by innovation in a product, process or service with knowledge of upcoming financial needs through financial analysis;
Most Improved Business Award – a $2,500 prize awarded to a student entrepreneur venture team who improves the most during the coaching and preparation sessions;
Charles R. Doty Entrepreneur Award – A $10,000 prize awarded to a student entrepreneur venture team or individual, who exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit through a venture driven by innovation in a product, process or service.

The judging panel for the annual Gillespie Business Plan Competition will determine the winners.

Past Gillespie Winners

2024 SellVNTG – Owen Ridgeway, David Markham, & Preston Rollins
2023 Altar’d Socials – Claire Ficek
2022 Rumie – Tanner McCraney, Patrick Phillips, Sam Pennock & Carson Zylicz
2021 Froomie – Brea Givens
2020 DaisNotes – Nicholas Neilson-Slabach & Kyle Herbert
2019 Move Fitness – Jake Harrison & Tyler Moore
2018 ShortWork – Will Tribble & Sam Harres
2017 Collegiate Tutoring – Lee Ingram
2016 Curtsy – Sara Kiparizoska & William Ault
2015 Nippy Pumps – Tameka Wilson
2014 Cotton’s Café Dog Treat Bakery – Janet McCarty
2013 Isabel Thomas Designs – Taylor Isabel Thomas
2012 Utah Raptor Games – Ryan Rigney
2011 EOS – Ryan Andrews
2010 HRinnovations.com – Jack Smothers
2009 Fantastic Flatware – Jennifer Harjes
2008 AussieDealz.com – Joshua Stelzer
2007 Middle Tennessee Times – Parul Bajaj, Mary Grace Bratschi, Erin Dickey, Anjali Pahwa, Karah Shelly
2006 SoberCycles – Brent McHenry, Ashley Sullivan, Monica Evans, Courtney Gregory
2005 CTS Consulting – David Shields & Virginia Turnage

Past Charles R. Doty Entrepreneurs

2024 Collegemate – Madison Hanna & Maryn Sifrit

Past W. Thomas Colbert-Community Bank Innovators

2024 Biomedical Think Tank – Parker Brewster & Anna Owens
2023 Navigator Medical – Emily Kerivan, McKenna Pruitt, Kade Frisby & Jordan Kocsis
2022 4rmCast – Tereza Janatova
2021 Rolling Thunder – Tristan Daily, Noah McKone, Jake Smith & Owen Barry
2020 DataBrace – Tereza Janatova & Matthew Currie
2019 Crystal Game Works – Kaylin Brassfield

Past Lynn and Ron Samuels Student Entrepreneurs

2024 Ketchup Please – Stephanie Handford & Evan Lampsa
2023 LeaseSavvy – Brannan Kovachev & Matthews Hyre
2022 Jay Marquis – Jhalen Wells
2021 Froomie – Brea Givens
2020 Vaught It – Maverick McSparin & Kathryn Bickerstaff

Past Stephen E. Rowell Entrepreneurs

2024 Sing Sauce – Ya Xin Huang
2023 The Big Sis Organization, LLC – Georgia Zeleskey
2022 Rumie – Tanner McCraney, Patrick Phillips, Sam Pennock & Carson Zylicz
2021 HoopAtlanta – Jordan Wyton

GenTeal Apparel Consumer-facing Award Recipient

2024 Sticky Boobs – Will McEwan, Alex Bailey, Eric Russ, & Carson May
2023 Abbikadabbi’s Baking Co. – Abbi Nichols

Edward G. Francis, Sr. Entrepreneur

2024 SellVNTG – Owen Ridgeway, David Markham, & Preston Rollins
2023 Moose Medical – Kylie Wright & Jenna Smith

Most Improved Business Award Recipient

2024 Needle – Claire Watkiss
2023 FAX – Nick Rogge & Ross Lubin

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.

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