Babson Names 18 Semi-Finalist Entrepreneurs For 2013 Entrepreneurial Thought And Action(R) (B.E.T.A) Challenge

WELLESLEY, Mass., March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Newswise -- 18 semi-finalist entrepreneurs have been selected to compete in Babson College's 2013 Entrepreneurial Thought And Action (R) (B.E.T.A.) Challenge.

Winners in three categories - alumni entrepreneurs, undergraduate and graduate student entrepreneurs - will each win a grand prize of $20,000 in cash and "services in kind" donations from corporate sponsors. $2,500 will be awarded to the two other finalist ventures in each of the three competitions. Semi-finals will take place April 3rd, with finalist presentations to follow on April 11th.

The B.E.T.A. Challenge is Babson's 'alternative' business plan competition where entrepreneurs must demonstrate success in reaching major milestones achieved through action. It builds on Babson's branded teaching method--Entrepreneurial Thought & Action or ETA(R) -- and on the idea that entrepreneurs are made, not born. B.E.T.A. challenges entrepreneurs to lead at all stages, levels and types of organizations, and to bring a range of skills to bear on Entrepreneurship of All Kinds.

For info, visit http://bit.ly/yBKQEr  

2013 B.E.T.A. Challenge Semi-Finalists

Alumni Challenge

• Bquipped, LLC - Bquipped aims to improve sports by putting the most relevant piece of equipment into athletes' hands.  http://www.bquipped.com/   
  Facebook http://on.fb.me/ZCnTgs  
  @bquippedhockey
• House Bear Brewing - House Bear Brewing, a winery, crafts the nectar of bees into an exceptional mead.   http://www.housebearbrewing.com/  
  Facebook http://on.fb.me/YW1qHJ  
  @HouseBearBrew
• MandaSeguro - MandaSeguro is an online portal that allows the transfer of money from individuals living in the US to pre-designated businesses in LATAM, safely and efficiently. 
• Ovatemp, LLC - Mobile fertility monitor for natural pregnancy achievement.  http://www.ovatemp.com/  
  Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/Ovatemp  
  @Ovatemp
• Shake 2 Activate - Shake 2 Active(R) is a multi-surface household cleaner and heavy duty degreaser. 
• WHITENIFE - Whitenife is a social venture that allows its customers to not only express their concern and awareness towards elephant poaching, but do so with taste and elegance.  http://whitenife.com/theconcept.html  
  Facebook http://on.fb.me/ZCuYOa  

Graduate Challenge

• 88 Acres - 88 acres is an artisan, organic food products startup. We craft nut-free, gluten-free granola bars and bites by hand.  http://88-acres.com/  
  Facebook http://on.fb.me/13AO2kR  
  @88acresfoods
• AfterDark Technologies - AfterDark Technologies is creating an immersive nighttime experience for team sports including Ultimate Frisbee and Flag Football. 
• Parlor Skis - Parlor handcrafts skis for New England Skiers; we customize each ski to elevate on-snow experience of customers.  http://parlorskis.com/
  @Parlorskis
• PawUp LLC - introduces the network for socializing your pet without getting fleas on your friends list.  http://www.pawup.com/  
  @thepawup
• Vicarious - Vicarious offers colleges a set of online tools and mobile applications that they can use to create and manage interactive and real-time virtual tours and experiences for their prospective students.  http://www.vicarious.tv/login.php  
• Worcester Chamber Music Society - holds a cultural presence within the Greater Worcester area by presenting sold-out concerts to captivated audiences, receiving consistent critical acclaim, building new young audiences, and training rising musicians through both its school residency and Summer Festival programs.  http://www.worcesterchambermusic.org/  
  Facebook http://on.fb.me/13AOyzl  
  @Worchambmusic

Undergraduate Challenge

• Artblix.com - Artblix is a web-platform where you will be able to buy and sell all types of cultural handmade products, worldwide. 
  @Artblix
• bites - A fast food restaurant with a slow food mindset. 
• College Outside - College Outside is a community-based online media company that brings outing clubs across the country together while connecting outdoor brands to these outdoor oriented students. http://www.collegeoutside.com/
  @collegeoutside
• Elysium Ventures - Elysium Ventures is first and foremost a platform for foreign direct investments in the West Bank, Palestine. 
• Moratic - A company set up to import, distribute, market, design, and contract out production abroad for Moratic branded Dokha tobacco ( our flagship product) , handmade designer pipes, and electronic hookahs of the highest quality at a low and affordable price.  http://www.moratic.com/  
• OrangeOctop.us - OrangeOctop.us creates premier strategy guides in the gaming industry.  http://orangeoctop.us/  

Silver Sponsors

Pepper Hamilton LLP
Pepper Hamilton LLP is a multi-practice law firm with more than 500 lawyers nationally. The firm provides corporate, litigation and regulatory legal services to leading businesses, governmental entities, nonprofit organizations and individuals throughout the nation and the world.

Babson Alumni and Friends Network
Babson has a worldwide alumni, parents, and friends network of more than 35,000 graduates. This expansive network spans all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and is found in over 100 countries around the world.

Babson Alumni Association
The Babson Alumni Association (BAA) works to ensure that there are opportunities for all alumni to feel connected to Babson. The BAA is committed to supporting the mission of the College by enhancing the incredible network of 35,000 alumni around the world. With each graduating class, the network becomes brighter, more diverse, and increasingly successful, thus providing a truly valuable resource to each other.

In-Kind Sponsors

BizLand, Inc.

Emerging Business Collaborative

Colorful SEO

Cummings Properties

Gray, Gray and Gray LLP

MassChallenge

Babson College
Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader for Entrepreneurship of All Kinds(R). The College is a dynamic living and learning laboratory, where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society -- while at the same time evolving our methods and advancing our programs. We shape the leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to create economic and social value. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought and Action(R) as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value. For information, visit www.babson.edu.

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