Includes $52,500 award of cash and in-kind services
Calle, a company that wants to be a premier brand for street soccer players, was named winner of the BYU Marriott School of Management’s 2007 Business Plan Competition and accepted a $52,500 award of cash and in-kind services.
Since the competition’s submission process began in November, Calle worked to stand out from almost 140 idea pitches, 43 original business plans, eight semi-finalists and finally three final teams that presented their business plans March 30.
“The Business Plan Competition has done an amazing job and has offered us fabulous opportunities,” said Calle team member Josh Robbins. “We are going forward strong and expecting a lot of success for the company.”
As the only brand dedicated to street soccer, Calle, meaning “street” in Spanish, hopes to popularize street soccer under its name much like Rollerblade did for in-line skating. The company’s products are already available in nine retailers across the United States and include a customized soccer ball and apparel for soccer players.
The individuals involved with Calle include Josh Robbins, completing a master’s degree in accounting from Bountiful, Utah; Klane Harding, a pre-communications major from Lindon, Utah; Steve Magleby, a Spanish major from Darnestown, Md.; Morgan Gilliam, a Latin American studies major from Arlington, Texas; Travis Winn, studying business management and entrepreneurship from Bakersfield, Calif.; Tyler Winn, a graphic design major from Bakersfield, Calif.; and BYU-Hawaii student Joseph Allen, an accounting major from Dayton, Ohio.
Gary Williams, faculty advisor for the competition, said he believes each of the final teams will be successful.
“This competition allows students to apply their skills in real-world situations, to learn the dynamics of working in groups and to actually launch businesses,” Williams says. “I believe all three of these companies will launch and this demonstration of performing outside of the classroom really adds credibility to BYU.”
Second place, with a $35,000 award, went to True Counsel, which combines the convenience of the Internet with the expertise of a licensed attorney to provide online legal services at a fraction of traditional costs.
Taking third place and a $15,000 award, Mobile O/X allows users to create a personalized Internet domain where individuals can combine their favorite Web sites onto a single page.
In addition to the Business Plan Competition prizes, BYU's Kevin and Debra Rollins Center for eBusiness awarded $5,000 to Zinch.com for being the best e-business venture, and the Global Management Center awarded $4,000 to Our-Business.org for being the best new international business venture.
The competition was founded in 1993 by BYU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and is run by more than two dozen MBA students and a faculty advisor. The annual event is recognized as one of the top-tier business plan competitions in the nation in terms of prizes and participation. Successes from past Business Plan Competitions include 1-800-CONTACTS, uSight, Property Solutions and Alianza.
The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, organizational behavior and entrepreneurship.
Writer: Karianne Salisbury
