Research Councils UK Business Plan Competition
The RCUK 2009-10 Business Plan Competition is now open. Further details, including entry forms, are available via RCUK's Business Plan Competition 
pages.
Background to the competition
Helping researchers turn great research into great business; that's the aim of the RCUK Business Plan Competition.
Every good business starts with two things: a good idea and a robust business plan. The RCUK Business Plan Competition provides researchers who have ideas with commercial potential the skills, knowledge and support needed to develop a first-rate business plan. This is provided through expert trainers, coaches and mentors.
The Business Plan Competition encourages applications from across the whole spectrum of academic research within the remit of the seven Research Councils: from the arts and biosciences, to environmental, physical and social sciences to technology. Any active researcher based in a UK Higher Education Institution (HEI) or Public Sector Research Establishment (PSRE) which is eligible to hold Research Council grants can apply. Only Masters Students and staff from Technology Transfer Offices or similar groups are ineligible.
Postgraduates, postdocs and academic staff who have a business idea arising from research and want to develop this further are encouraged to participate.
Successful applicants will benefit from training through a two-day commercialisation workshop. Those who move through to the second phase will receive finance training and have access to a wide range of skilled experts with experience of research exploitation. They will help guide applicants in the preparation of a high quality business plan - the essential requirement for marketing a business idea to potential investors.
Prizes of up to £25,000 will be awarded for the business plans judged to have the best potential to turn business into reality.
For further information please contact RCUK at rcbpcomp@rcuk.ac.uk or see the FAQ page in the Business Plan Competition section of the RCUK website.
The closing date for a one-page outline is 4 December 2009.