Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship

Registration is open for the fourth annual Purdue University Elevator Pitch Competition, which is set for 2-5 p.m. April 2 at Discovery Park's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, Room 121.

The competition, themed Stand Up, Stand Out, Go Up, is open to Purdue students and faculty, as well as entrepreneurs from the Purdue Research Parks in West Lafayette and across the state. An awards ceremony will follow.

The contest, organized by Purdue's Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, gives each participant two minutes to describe a business venture to judges. Three minutes will be allotted for follow-up questions, said Nathalie Duval-Couetil, director of Purdue's certificate program and associate director of the Burton Morgan Center.

"A solid, well-crafted pitch about the promise of your business can make a difference when trying to attract the attention of customers and funders, particularly during tough economic times," she said. "In one to two minutes, the pitch should describe your product or service, your market, your competitive advantage, how you plan to make money, and why someone should invest in you or your team."

There are two divisions: one for undergraduate students; and one for faculty, graduate students or entrepreneurs from Purdue Research Park companies. Winners in each category will receive prizes of $1,000 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third. All participants will receive T-shirts for the event.

Lead sponsors are Otis Elevator Co. and Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, a law firm with offices in West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Research Triangle Park and Washington, D.C. Otis Elevator and Bose McKinney & Evans are marking their fourth year of support for the competition.

"We are proud to support this event," said Jim Coles, co-chair of Bose McKinney & Evans' Intellectual Property Group. "Our law firm always has had an entrepreneurial spirit, so we understand the drive to invent, to grow and to succeed.  Supporting entrepreneurs today will result in better products and services, improved lives and a thriving economy."

To register, go online to http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/entrepreneurship/elevator/index.php  or e-mail Sascha Harrell of Purdue's certificate program at smharrel@purdue.edu .

The Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, through its sponsored initiatives, aims to stimulate entrepreneurship at Purdue and serves as a state, regional and national resource. The center also leads Purdue's Kauffman Campuses Initiative, which is working to foster entrepreneurship programs on campus to create a culture for student and faculty ideas and ventures.

About Purdue's Certificate in Entrepreneurship Program

The Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, which is housed in Discovery Park's Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship, is available to Purdue undergraduate students in all majors. Its purpose is to make entrepreneurship an accessible career option by providing students with the skills and knowledge required to launch new business ventures.