The entire team met tonight to conduct a final practice session and coordiante last minute details before heading to the airport Wednesday morning for the flight to Austin, TX. The next few days hold lots of possibilities for the team, the IMBA program, and the College of Business. The competition RJS has targeted for nearly two years is almost here.

Dr. Clouse

RJS, LLC, the IMBA student team that took first place in the 2006 College of Business’ Aleris New Venture Competition, has accepted an invitation to 2007 Global Moot Corp Competition at University of Texas Austin.

The annual competition at UTA, which includes winners of regional U.S. competitions including Cincinnati, Georgia, Nebraska, Oregon. San Diego, is often referred to as the “Super Bowl” of business plan competitions. It is scheduled for May 2-5.RJS will be presenting its business plan for “Pulse” a new, adult beverage that combines a distinctive, citrus-flavored liqueur with energy-enhancing ingredients.

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 “This is an honor for U of L,” said Van Clouse, U of L’s Cobb Family Professor of Entrepreneurship and business plan competition director. “It’s based on the team’s body of work during the spring 2007 business plan competition season. Throughout the regionals, they’ve been amazing ambassadors for the university and our entrepreneurship programs.”

The RJS team includes Sara Babbitz, Greg Bernard, Joel Adams, Robinson Brown IV, Stephen Herron and Jeff Freiberger.  The team is scheduled to present its concept to the College of Business Board of Advisors on May 18. 

RJS’s road to Moot Corp includes the following recognition:  

• 2006 Aleris, Inc. New Venture Competition,
  University of Louisville – overall winner and also winner of the “Best Elevator Pitch”

• 2007 Georgia Bowl Business Plan Competition,
  University of Georgia – second place and winner of “Best Presentation” and second place “Best Written Business Plan”

• 2007 Spirit of Enterprise Business Plan Competition,
  University of Cincinnati – second place

• 2007 Venture Challenge, San Diego State University –
  winner of Wild-Card Round and runner-up Finals Round

• 2007 New Venture Championship,
  University of Oregon – runner-up
  Lightning Round

The team also earned rave reviews for its presentation at the March 2007 Louisville Venture Club meeting.

RJS has been invited to present to distilled spirits giant Brown-Forman Corporation’s Board and Innovation Group in June.