WhatsNext

With 76 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, the opportunities for profit and growth are enormous for businesses that target the 50+ market. It is the largest and fastest-growing marketing demographic in the U.S. Every seven seconds, someone is turning 50 years old. According to North Castle Partners LLC, healthy living and aging is a $480 billion industry, representing a huge market potential.

Do you have a business plan or startup venture that shows significant business potential for this burgeoning market?

From early-stage ventures in medicine to media, fashion to financial services and beyond, we invite you to enter this exciting $10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition.

The second annual international $10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition aims to stimulate the best ideas from the best universities and tap into the business expertise and creativity of today’s entrepreneurs who are addressing the 50+ market.

This $10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition provides contestants with the opportunity to meet investors and partners, secure resources and get media exposure to help turn dreams into realities.

Take advantage of this opportunity!

The Grand Prize is $10,000. The Top 5 finalists, including the Grand Prize Winner, will have the unparalleled opportunity to present their plans to:

(1) an esteemed panel of judges at the 2005 Joint Conference of the American Society on Aging and The National Council on the Aging, March 10, 2005 in Philadelphia, PA. Each year over 4,000 advertisers, marketers and business leaders attend this major conference.

(2) the AARP services group in Washington, DC on March 8, 2005. This opportunity could potentially help your brand reach 35 million people annually, and

(3) a Silicon Valley "highlights" conference in May 2005 featuring investors and venture capitalists from Silicon Valley.

The Top 5 finalists will receive extensive materials on the size and demographics of the market, online and offline sales strategies, access to the top organizations touching the 50+ market (AARP, ASA, BFA, NCOA and others), a chance to meet top-tier talent from the venture community, case studies of successful entrepreneurs, and qualitative and quantitative insights.

All contestants will want to attend the What’s Next? Boomer Business Summit pre-conference in Philadelphia, PA on March 9, 2005, a co-producer of this competition. Presented by noted leaders from private business, media, the venture community and experts in aging, this information-packed one-day event will help inform successful strategies for the boomer market. Click here to register.

Who is eligible to enter?

Open to individuals and teams of students, faculty or staff at accredited four-year colleges and universities; entrepreneurs from seed or early-stage companies with annual revenues of $0 to $1 million; and independent business professionals.

Competition Prizes

One $10,000 Grand Prize Winner announced March 10, 2005 at the $10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition. The prize is to be used toward winner’s business or business concept.

* Top 5 finalists will present to an esteemed panel of judges on March 10, 2005 and receive:

* Top 5 finalists will present to the AARP services group in Washington, DC on March 8, 2005. This opportunity could potentially help your brand reach 35 million people annually.

* Top 5 finalists will have the opportunity to present their plans at a Silicon Valley “highlights” conference in May 2005 featuring investors and venture capitalists from Silicon Valley.

* Top 20 semifinalists will receive written feedback on their business plans from the secondary panel of judges.

* Top 20 semifinalists will have the opportunity to participate in an Entrepreneur Boot Camp at AARP National Headquarters in Washington, DC on March 8, 2005.

* All participants in the competition will have the opportunity to attend the Boomer What’s Next? Summit on March 9, 2005 at reduced “entrepreneur” registration rates.

See complete Rules
Ready to enter? See How to Enter
Resources on Aging and Entrepreneurship.

Do you have questions about the$10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition?
Please e-mail us: competition@boomersummit.com
Do you have questions about the 50+ market?
Please e-mail us: inquiries@boomersummit.com

"I just want to thank you for all the time you invested in making the Baby Boomer Business Plan Challenge and the "What's Next Conference" such wonderful events. ...I have gained some great ideas from the group's feedback about our company's business plan. It was one of the most valuable experiences I have had since starting my company four years ago.

One of the key things I was able to witness, as one of the entrepreneurs in the Top 20, was your strength in networking and building "buzz." ... I still can't believe all the experts that we met in just a few short days! Also, your advice, kind words, and introductions were invaluable to me"

Beth Sanders
Founder & President
LifeBio.com

"Participating in the 2004 Boomer Business Plan Competition was a rewarding and valuable experience. Through the expert insight and feedback that we received from the esteemed judges throughout the evaluation process, we gained a far greater understanding of the Boomer market which is driving the growth in demand for (our products)."

Chris Ashton, Founder & President
Fetch, Inc. (now PetPlan-USA)

Important Dates

January 17, 2005
Contestants register to enter

January 17, 2005
Executive Summaries due (3-5 pages)

January 21, 2005
Top 20 semifinalists selected,
all contestants notified

February 11, 2005
Top 20 semifinalists' complete
business plans due

   February 18, 2005
   Top 5 finalists selected,
   all semifinalists notified

   March 10, 2005
   Competition presentations
   Top 5 business plans
   $10,000 Grand Prize Winner selected

"Winning the Boomer Competition provided us with unique exposure to investors, pharma partners and perhaps most important of all, potential customers. After the publication in the AARP newsletter, we received numerous inquiries from orginary people, anxious to know when our device will be on the market. This gave us more credibility with our investors than any expert opinion we could have gathered!

Now, more than ever, our company operates with a true sense of the urgency, and this motivates us to persevere and succeed. Without this competition, neither we or our investors would have ever known the potential impact our device has on the boomer population."

Onne Ganel, CEO

MicroMRI, Inc.

(2004 $10,000 Boomer Business Plan Competition Winner)


		Access to networks of world-class entrepreneurs, investors and potential partners
		Content-rich feedback on their business plans from the judging panel
		Opportunities to create a winning team of founders
		Access to members of the private equity community
		Media exposure and PR buzz.