UA Team Takes Top Prize at Venture Competition

HomeDx, a team of University of Arkansas graduate students, won first place Wednesday at the Global New Venture Competition at the University of Nebraska.

The team is working to develop the first over-the-counter influenza test that will be distributed through large retail channels. In addition to a cash prize of $7,000, HomeDx gained automatic entry into May’s 2013 Global Venture Labs Investment Competition. Hosted by the University of Texas, the competition is billed as “Super Bowl of business competitions.”

HomeDx consists of Max Mahler, Audra Mazzeo, Calvin Smith, Will Swearingen and Daniel Cherry. It is one of four business plan competition teams that formed in the current New Venture Development graduate course taught by Carol Reeves, associate vice provost for entrepreneurship at the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

All four teams — which include EverClean Coating Solutions, Picasolar and ParadigMed — will be among the six finalists competing in the graduate division at the 13th annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition, to be held April 4-5 at The Chancellor Hotel in Fayetteville.

EverClean Coating Solutions won the Walmart Better Living Business Plan Challenge regional competition on March 8. The regional winners advanced to the final rounds, scheduled for April 18-19 at the company’s home office in Bentonville. The winning team will receive a cash prize of $20,000.