University of Adelaide Entrepreneurs' Challenge

The eChallenge is the premiere Asia-Pacific Business plan competition.

The University of Adelaide Entrepreneurship Challenge is one of the largest and most famous business plan competitions in the Asia-Pacific. Managed by the Entrepreneurship, Commercialization and Innovation Center (ECIC), students from all programs and levels at South Australian Universities may enter. Teams must include one University student, but membership is open to the wider South Australian community.

Students who win the eChallenge can move on to The John Heine Entrepreneurial Challenge in Queensland, and subsequently, the worldwide Moot Corp in Texas, USA.

History

It was started in 2004 as the $50K competition, and continued to grow into the $80K competition, before dropping back down to $50K in 2009. The competition is modeled on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's "MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition".

The aim is to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship and create genuine commercial prospects for the benefit of South Australia.

The sponsors of the competition include:

  • The Advertiser
  • FiveAA
  • PiperAlderman
  • KMT Partners
  • Government of South Australia
  • M.NET
  • AusIndustry
  • Venture Capital SA
  • Palmerstone Projects
  • Coopers
  • Playford Capital
  • Madderns Patent & Trademark Attorneys
  • Corporate Express
  • Vroom & Associates
  • Haigh's Chocolates
  • Canon

Previous Winners

Year

Competition Result

Product name

Description

2008

Finalist

ProScales

Innovative system for weighing and labeling food products

2007

Finalist

Pyglet

Device which can copy music from a CD to a MP3 player without a PC

2006

Finalist

Vinetology

Ensures longevity and competitiveness of the wine industry

  • Best of Biotech
  • MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition
  • Global Security Challenge
  • University of Adelaide
  • University of South Australia