AUSTIN, Texas – The 32nd Annual Global Venture Labs Investment Competition (Global VLIC), the longest running investment competition for graduate student entrepreneurs, takes place May 7-9 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at The University of Texas at Austin.
Often referred to as the “Super Bowl of world business plan competition,” this year’s Global VLIC features 38 teams from all over the world, including the U.S., Brazil, Norway, France, Hong Kong, Germany, Canada, Australia and several teams from Thailand.
Teams gained admittance into Global VLIC by either winning a qualifying U.S. or international competition or via the open berth system. The startups span industries as diverse as energy, consumer, biotechnology, information technology, medical, and social enterprise.
Teams participating in this year’s three-day event will compete for the title of Global Champion, which includes $25,000 in cash prizes, the opportunity to close the NASDAQ in Times Square, the Austin Technology Incubator Launch Package valued at $25,000 and consulting time with the director of Jon Brumley Texas Venture Labs. In addition to the Global Champion prize package, there are several opportunities for teams to compete for cash prizes and showcase their ventures over the three-day event:
Venture Expo – A showcase of investor-ready startups from The University of Texas at Austin and Central Texas. Companies include all current Texas Venture Lab Accelerator companies as well as a select group of past companies from the lab and partner organizations.
Wild Card Challenge – Eight runners-up in the Opening Round compete in two divisions for two wild card slots into the semi-finals.
Wells Fargo Clean Energy Challenge – Winners of the Opening Round clean energy divisions compete for the $20,000 Wells Fargo Clean Energy Prize.
Nemec Elevator Challenge – 24 teams will have the opportunity to give the elevator pitch for their business while riding the actual elevator to the top of the iconic UT Austin Tower. The teams compete for four $1,500 cash prizes.
For more information on Global VLIC, including schedule and registration details, visit the competition’s website.
