Learning Business Skills Not Taught in the Classroom

Camp BizSmart is constantly challenging itself to design and create cutting edge business cases, exercises and content to give students the latest in entrepreneurship skills and knowledge.

So we are proud to announce a top to bottom redesign of our Camp BizSmart website.  Designed for viewing on all smart devices, and ease of use, here are just a few of the new features:

• a fresh and modern look
• easy to navigate
• a showcase of photos and student business case designs
• an integrated blog
• a streamlined application process
• on demand document download for current students
• what’s hot section

Be sure to check out Ekso Bionics and mOasis the hot new business project company sponsors for 2013.  Feel free to share the new Camp BizSmart website with your friends and family.

We will continue to posts new blogs – but they will now be integrated on our new website.

If you know a young person who is 11-15 and would love to solve some really cool business problems this summer with cutting edge award winning entrepreneurs, have them check us out. Camp BizSmart was named one of the 5 most unique camps in the United States by CNN Money.

Come and innovate with us this summer and create real solutions for real world challenges that can make a big difference in the world!

A special thanks and shout out to our web developer, David Maloney.

Bionic Suit Propels Human Grit

Anyone who grew up watching the 6 Million Dollar Man or has seen the recent Iron Man movies knows that it is pretty cool to make the human body capable of more than it is able to do on its own.   Steve Austin if you remember,  is severely injured when his aircraft crashes and is “rebuilt” in a title-giving operation that costs at least six million dollars. His right arm, both legs and the left eye are replaced by “bionic” implants that enhance his strength, speed and vision far above human norms.  Iron Man, a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero Iron Man.

Most of us aren’t trying to be a super hero, and we often take for granted the simple act of movement to walk wherever and whenever we want. But for many, this is not possible. Imagine you could not stand or walk on your own.  Now imagine that a robotic device  allowed you to regain command and movement of your body making it possible to stand up and walk once again. Science fiction you may think, but such devices are available today and becoming more futuristic in capability as you read this.

Camp BizSmart students will have the opportunity to create innovative business product solutions in this futuristic space with the generous support of Ekso Bionics as a 2013 Business Project Sponsor.

Ekso Bionics has developed a robotic device that does in fact augment physical ability and individuals who could not stand or walk on their own and are indeed standing and walking in rehabilitation centers all across the nation. Super human ability made practical but still amazing!  Ekso is a ready-to-wear, battery operated bionic suit – or exoskeleton – that is strapped over the user’s clothing. The device transfers its 45lbs load directly to the ground, so the individual doesn’t bear the weight. Each Ekso can be adjusted in a few minutes to fit most people weighing 220 pounds or less, and between 5’2” and 6’2”, with at least partial upper body strength.  The individual provides the balance and proper body positioning, and Ekso facilitates walking over ground.  But this is what is currently possible, Camp BizSmart students will create something that does not yet exist on the market – are you intrigued?

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Camp BizSmart operates sessions at premiere locations such as  Stanford University and Silicon Valley Community Foundation in San Mateo, with the product design and business plan competition for all sessions held at Microsoft in Mountain View, Ca.

The EKSO bionics business project requirements will be provided to all students who are enrolled prior to coming to camp. Students  are mentored throughout the 10 days by industry experts who  inspire and  share business tips from their entrepreneurial journey. Camp BizSmart faculty coach the students through a project based experiential curriculum to acquire the knowledge and develop the essential skills necessary to create, support and defend their team’s solution.  The top winning team for the summer sessions will appear at the Keiretsu Forum Angel Capital Expo.

For more information go to: Camp BizSmart or call us at 800.475.0869

Grow more with less

The Economist posted an article which said: “The world has a water shortage, not a food shortage.” Did you know that most people may drink only two liters of water a day, but they consume about 3,000 if the water that goes into their food is taken into account.   So as the world’s population grows farmers will need more water just to keep everyone fed,  Yet in many farming regions, water is scarce and likely to get scarcer. But this is not the only way that we use water of course, in addition to drinking water and water to grow commercial crops, we bathe in it, flush it, wash dishes and clothes and many more items with it, grow gardens, trees and lawns to name just a few.  In cities, water rationing has become a common occurrence at the same time the cost of water continues to rise. Something has to give.

Matt Damon, well known actor and humanitarian, co-founded water.org and puts it this way: “Looking ahead, I think access to water will be one of the most critical challenges of our time.  There are alot of ways to tackle it.  I am convinced that we can overcome the global water crises in our lifetime.”

One solution many contend is more efficient use of water, as the solganeers put it, more crop, per drop, or as mOasis likes to say – grow more with less. Students at Camp BizSmart 2013 will have the opportunity to create business product solutions to address this critical challenge that can have enormous impact.

mOasis has created a soil amendment mOasisgel that increases crop yields while simultaneously reducing the need doe fertilizer, water and water-related energy use.  This technology has the potential to eliminate critical shortages in food and water so that people in any part of the world can live in abundance, impacting just about every person on the planet.    Hydrogels are highly absorbent natural or synthetic polymers. They can contain over 99% water, which when adsorbed looks like a gel.  Hydrogels can be used pretty much everywhere, from food processing to diaper absorbents, to cleaning up oil spills.

Graphic from Soil Meets Hydrogels by Assen Batchvarov

There are many different types of hydrogels; one such being agricultural hydrogel. Agricultural hydrogels have a unique property; they do not just trap the moisture in, but also let it out very slowly. This means that when inserted in the soil, it kind of acts like a sponge, slowly giving out moisture to the soil over time.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Camp BizSmart operates sessions at premiere locations such as  Stanford University and Silicon Valley Community Foundation in San Mateo, with the product design and business plan competition for all sessions held at Microsoft in Mountain View, Ca.

Students will create a business product solution to address water shortages according to the mOasis business project requirements provided to all students who are enrolled prior to coming to camp. Students  are mentored throughout the 10 days by industry experts who  inspire and  share business tips from their entrepreneurial journey. Camp BizSmart faculty coach the students through a project based experiential curriculum to acquire the knowledge and develop the essential skills necessary to create, support and defend their team’s solution.  The top winning team for the summer sessions will appear at the Keiretsu Forum Angel Capital Expo.

For more information go to: Camp BizSmart or call us at 800.475.0869

Are you ready to swim with Sharks?

Much has been written about the success and popularity of the Shark Tank.  What makes Shark Tank fun to watch, and a hit among its approximately 5 million viewers, is the quick-paced give-and-take, that occurs among five very different personalities who are standing in judgement of the entrepreneurs business pitch. But it can also be very instructive as well for those aspiring entrepreneurs of all ages who are watching intently. Keep in mind that if you are to survive swimming with the sharks, you will need a big dose of true grit. John Wayne knew a thing or two about grit.  This is the stuff that pioneers who settled unknown territory and inventors who no one understood had in full measure. Today, we need a full dose of grit for our young generation to take on the big challenges and come up with innovative solutions that are valued and therefore will succeed in the marketplace.

It isn’t good enough to have an idea – lots of people have ideas.  Ideas may be born out of frustration, a desire to find a better way,  to solve a problem, or to create something that didn’t exist before.  Whatever the impetus the entrepreneur will need to draw upon their best critical thinking, problem solving, competitive analysis, and finance models to predict and manage cash flow as well determine the most effective go to market sales strategies and any possible manufacturing and distribution channels that might be needed.  No matter what your idea might be – it will be rare that you can do it all alone at least for long if it is to grow.  You will need the help of a great team that must be selected with complementary skills to help your dream succeed. Here again is where grit comes in. It is hard work to be an entrepreneur.

Shark Tank Star Sharks

Selected tips for entrepreneurs from a few of the Sharks made famous on the NBC hit show as quoted in Success Magazine: Shark Robert Herjavec, “The harsh reality is instead of just money, what they really need is advice. The key to success in business is execution,” he says. “A bad business with money is still a bad business.” Barabara Corcoran, “When they’re no good under pressure, I’m out.” On the other hand, she says, “assertiveness is a beautiful thing to watch. You believe in yourself, you have a right to be there and a right to ask. Those are beautiful qualities in an entrepreneur.” Finally, Mark Cuban who said: “We romanticize entrepreneurship so much that people don’t do the work…. It’s not just a dream, not just a goal; it’s a lot of hard work. A lot of people are wantrepreneurs, not entrepreneurs. I use that line a lot.”

Just as the Shark Tank is watched to learn tips and insight into how to create, support and defend an innovative idea – young people (who are 11-15 years of age) come to Camp BizSmart to learn, practice and develop the skills that will help to solve problems, seize opportunity and acquire entrepreneurial muscle and grit that will help them go the distance when they do swim with sharks or enter the Shark Tank to pitch their own idea.

Howard Charney shares wisdom and inspires Camp BizSmart students

“What makes a successful entrepreneur?” I was asked, and “how does Camp BizSmart encourage and develop an entrepreneurial mindset, in the young people who participate in our  business and entrepreneurship academy?”

The Wall Street Journal report on  “The Entrepreneur’s DNA” , highlights excerpts of Hal Gregersen’s (Professor of innovation and leadership, Insead graduate business school), discussion on this topic at the Unleashing Innovation conference. I am going to pull out a couple of statements from the article and use them to make a point but I encourage you to read the entire report.

What researchers say: One-third of our creative capacity is DNA – the other two-thirds is the world we grow up in and work in. So if you start with the one-third  advantage as mentioned above, the other two-thirds is influenced and developed by others around you as well as  your environment and experiences.  This has significance for both those who are both born with creative DNA and those who were not.

Let’s say you were born with the creative DNA. That is only just the beginning, as the article goes on to say the opportunities we give our children to observe, to network and experiment and hang out with people who don’t look, think or act just like you  is important to developing this entrepreneurial DNA .  Zeroing in on what each innovator that was interviewed for the study had in common: they had adults in their lives who paid attention to and encouraged development of their skills when they were growing up, and they believe it made all the difference.

Remember the old saying, “You are known by the company you keep? Well, this takes it further to say, and I will paraphrase, “The  innovators that were interviewed had individuals in their lives while growing up that encouraged the development of their abilities, skills and knowledge and they credit them for making all the difference!”

The article states that there is a link between the early development and encouragement of creative spark and the innovative chief executives who lead innovative companies. What is the constant thread throughout?  These innovative executives spend their time asking provocative questions, observing the world like anthropologists, networking with people who don’t think, act or talk like them.  They are willing to experiment and try new things.  And not a surprise, they  say – you have to live it – the innovative CEO puts into practice these behaviors and an environment that sets the stage for others to do the same sorts of things.

To solve the big challenges in the world today we must encourage the provocative questions that will lead to disruptive innovations.  At Camp BizSmart students are mentored by successful entrepreneurs like Howard Charney, Kevin Surace, Ned Tozun, Maigread Eichten, and more, who are role models.  We create an environment where students will gain the knowledge they need to take on the challenge that they are asked to solve, and in doing so they will  develop the skills and  abilities that help top develop and nurture innovation and entrepreneurial DNA. We invite you to see the innovative solutions students have designed and supported to address the real business case challenges they were given by the companies that work with us on the Camp BizSmart blog.

If you know a student who is 11-15 years of age and you see in them that creative spark, tell them about Camp BizSmart where our objective is to develop their entrepreneurial spirit further.

2013 summer sessions are held in executive conference space in Silicon Valley, CA: June 17-28 at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in San Mateo, CA and July 8-19 or July 29-Aug 9 at Stanford University.  All are 10 day sessions, 8:30am – 4:30pm daily. Please see our Camp BizSmart website for more details and on-line applications.

Bill Reichert, Garage Technology Ventures, at Camp BizSmart

“There is a reason why all of these innovators go to the San Jose metro area or to San Francisco” says UC Berkeley economics professor Enrico Moretti, “and that’s because they are already innovating there.” This is just an excerpt from a recent article written by Mike Cassidy of the San Jose Mercury News, I encourage you to read the entire article.

The year Camp BizSmart launched, 2008, Mike Cassidy wrote a story about our business and entrepreneur camp.  He was delighted to find that young people 11-15, especially in Silicon Valley, would jump at the chance to spend 10 days of their summer to compete to create the next big thing! Well, here we are 6 years later, having expanded to meet the demand and being named by CNN in 2012, as one of the most unique camps in the US! Why?

• Camp BizSmart partners with successful entrepreneurs of award winning companies to provide current, in the news, real world problems for our students to solve; creating and competing to be named the most valued business product innovation.
• Camp BizSmart specializes in unique entrepreneur and business skills development so that aspiring students can create the next great product innovations and companies.
• Through fast, fun, hands-on work in teams, students acquire the skills necessary to solve business problems, design new products and defend their solution to successful executives and angel investors.

We think Camp BizSmart and Silicon Valley is a match made in heaven; -  but don’t take our word for it – read on and learn more including what a Brookings Institute Study found:

“Is it something in the water or the air?” Nope, the energy source is the amazing entrepreneurs and executives that can be found here, many who come to Camp BizSmart to inspire our students. These entrepreneurs are driven to solve problems and in so doing have created an amazing synergy of idea generation, innovation and talent. Entrepreneurs from Cisco, Microsoft, Apple and Google, are among the well known company executives who come to Camp BizSmart to share their stories and provide expert mentoring that makes the hands-on pre-college curriculum come alive. In addition to the well known companies, “in the news” entrepreneurs from early to mid stage companies like HopeLab, NeuroSky, d.light design, Hydrovolts and more share their unique personal story, illustrating that problems to solve are all around us.  Mike Gibbs, Ph.D., CEO of Camp BizSmart says, “If you have a great idea that solves a customers’ problem, and a sustainable way to monetize it, and are willing to apply the grit, persistence and work ethic needed, — well, then you too, might just be able to create a valued company and the next big thing. ”

“The future is in innovation,” Russell Hancock, CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley was quoted as saying.  Patents are one way to measure innovations – many say one of the best ways. The article also goes on to say that the secret lies in the critical mass of not only smart inventors, but also a great supporting network of venture capitalists, designers, manufactures, and others with the key skills that support business innovations. We would add, great mentors as a key ingredient who inspire and coach the next generation of problem solvers and innovators providing valuable insight.  Bill Reichert, Managing Partner at Garage Technology Ventures, is an example of this, not only is he an advisor to Camp BizSmart, but as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, is one of these “great mentors”, who  inspire our students with current “what matters now” information and valuable lessons from experience.

Cassidy’s article goes on to say that, “here in Silicon Valley, the numbers (of patents) are impressive.” The San Jose metro area, “Silicon Valley”, averaged over 9,000 patent grants a year from 2007 to 2011, according to the Brookings Institution study, making it number 1 in the US. Next was San Francisco which includes Oakland and Fremont, with just over 7,000.  Think of it this way, A San Jose resident is 600 times more likely to come up with a patent-worthy idea than a resident of McAllen Texas, the Brookings study said.

So, if you are 11-15 and want to develop or hone your  business and entrepreneur skills – let me suggest you — “Go West young man and young woman”, – to Silicon Valley and attend Camp BizSmart this summer.

We fill up fast, so apply soon to have your preference of location and dates.  Here are the 2013 dates and locations, all in premiere executive conference space to provide students with a preview of executive life:

• June 17-28, 2013 – at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Conference Center, San Mateo, CA
• July 8-19, 2013 – at Stanford University, Landau Economics Building, Lucas Conference Center
• July 29-Aug 9, 2013 – at Stanford University, Alumni Center, Fisher Conference Center

Finally, hats off to the great innovators! We celebrate the many entrepreneurs who share their personal stories and mentor and inspire Camp BizSmart students! An old saying that bears repeating here, ” you are known by the company you keep.”  Join us to hang out with some great role models this summer! Check out the Camp BizSmart website and blog to learn more.

Camp BizSmart is pleased to announce the 2013 dates for our  popular premiere 10 day summer business and entrepreneur academy. CNN named Camp BizSmart “one of the 5 most unique camps in the United States”. You can read the article written about us by CNN on our press and publications page on the Camp BizSmart website.

At Stanford University there are two, 10 day sessions to select from for Summer 2013 to meet your schedule needs:

• July 8-12 and 15-19, 2013 in the Landau Building, Lucas Conference Center
• July 29-Aug 3 and Aug 5-9, 2013 in the Alumni Center, Fisher Conference Center

At the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in San Mateo there is one 10 day session for Summer 2013:

• June 17-21 and 24-28, 2013 in the Executive Conference Center

Camp BizSmart is for Tweenpreneurs 11-15 who want to work on “hot topic” real business problems sponsored by cool and award winning companies like Hydrovolts, d.light designs, NeuroSky, HopeLab, Zero Motorcycles, and many more. Executives from Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Serious Materials, Garage Technology Ventures, the Keiretsu Forum, WAGIC, the Alliance of Chief Executives and other top companies, mentor the students and provide insight into what makes a business idea successful and profitable.

Through fast, fun, hands-on work in teams, students acquire the skills necessary to solve business problems, design new products and defend their solution to successful executives and angel investors at the BizPlan and Product Design Challenge Competitions at Microsoft.

Camp BizSmart specializes in unique entrepreneur and business skill development programs so aspiring young entrepreneurs can create the next great product and the next great company.  The top student team that is awarded the distinction of most valued product design and business strategy in the grand finale of the business plan competition out of all the top teams for the summer season, receives the honor of presenting at the Keiretsu Angel Capital Expo in San Francisco to angel investors.

Space is limited.  Sign up now to be able to select the session dates you most prefer.

Fill out the application online on the Camp BizSmart website.   Imagine what new product innovation you might invent and the amazing entrepreneurs you will meet and gain insights from!

Our 2012 Grand Prize winning team, Hydrovolts, Team 5, “Ebb N Flow” demonstrated their innovative product solution to the audience of investors with their business savvy and energy at the Keiretsu Forum’s Angel Capital Expo, held November 15th, 2012 in San Francisco. Ebb N Flow team members included Jackson Barrett,  Karla Jurado, Rene Siakkhasone, Emmit Tactac and Valerie Woo.

The winning team Hydrovolts 5 participated in the Camp BizSmart summer entrepreneur academy held at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s Conference Center in San Mateo.  Peggy Gibbs, COO, Cofounder of Camp BizSmart, introduced the team and shared the stage with Randy Williams, CEO and Founder of Keiretsu talking about the importance of entrepreneurial training.

Randy Williams and Peggy Gibbs share a deep commitment to inspiring and supporting entrepreneurs of all ages and providing mentors to sharpen the essential skills required to be a successful entrepreneurs

The students were then honored onstage by both Randy Williams, CEO and Founder of Keiretsu, and Sonja Markova, Managing Director, who asked them questions about their winning business product design and what they learned at the Camp BizSmart entrepreneur academy.

Sonja Markova, Managing Director, Keiretsu Forum, after presenting students with certificates honoring their achievement as the Camp BizSmart Most Valued Team of the Business Plan Competition 2012.

Jackson Barrett, Team CEO, acknowledges the tremendous effort put forth by his teammates to earn the top honor and thanks Randy and the Keiretsu Forum for their long standing support of Camp BizSmart.

The students were privileged to observe 12 entrepreneurs make presentations about their ventures to the more than 400 angel investors. It was valuable to observe and to hear each entrepreneur describe their company.

Keiretsu Angel Capital Expo November 15, 2012 - photo courtesy of Keiretsu Forum

The culmination of the day is the naming of the Most Valued Company as voted by those attending. Congratulations to Sword Diagnostics for winning first place in the “Most Valued Company” competition and to BR Liquid Adventures (bucha) and First Sense Medical for being the runner-ups.

Fashion Show by LALY Designs - and example of a successful fashion designer entrepreneur

LALY Designs is a San Francisco based fashion design company. Laura Moreno, an entrepreneur and founder of LALY Designs, is known for her exuberant, eclectic, and unconventional designs. Showing her designs at the Angel Capital Event provided an update on the company’s successful growth. She has become a resource for undiscovered fashion designers and a catalyst for their success.

As the Keiretsu Forum’s Angel Capital Expo came to an end, Valerie Woo, picture below, one of the Hydrovolts 5  Ebb N Flow team members, paused at the Camp BizSmart exhibit to show interested attendees the teams rendering up close.  Hydrovolts CEO, Founder Burt Hamner, worked with the Camp BizSmart Founders, Dr. Mike Gibbs and Peggy Gibbs to provide the students a real world business case to work to solve during Camp BizSmart. The students in several teams selected between this business case by Hydrovolts and another provided by d.light design.  The teams worked to create their product solution, support it with a business plan and then defend it to a panel of angel investors in the product design and business plan competition.   The renderings created are by industrial design firm WAGIC, who work with the students to take their sketches, and vision to a full color dimensional rendering that is used in the competition.

Valerie Woo, Chief Innovation Officer, Team Ebb N Flow, holding rendering and initial prototype mock-up.

Want to be a business case sponsor or biz mentor? Contact: Peggy Gibbs, at peggy.gibbs@bizsmartglobal.com. Camp BizSmart holds summer business academies at premiere facilities such as Stanford University, Microsoft Silicon Valley, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center in San Mateo in the bay area, as well as private school, Punahou School in Hawaii, and more.  At Camp BizSmart, students 11-15 are mentored by industry experts and work hands-on to solve a real business case provided by award winning companies.  At BizSmart Global, a sister organization, students’ 12-18 gain design and entrepreneur skill based learning for 12-18 year olds.

Keiretsu Forum is the largest global community of angel investors with over 850 members on 3 continents and 21 chapters. This was the Sixth Keiretsu Forum Angel Capital Expo, where angel investors participate and collaborate on supporting the entrepreneurial community.

Keiretsu Forum has been a special partner of Camp BizSmart and BizSmart Global since 2008. Our organizations complement one another in mission – while Keiretsu has continuously provided great learning opportunities for our students to see real entrepreneurs work hard to increase the value propositions of their companies, seasoned entrepreneurs are also inspired by the joy and passion our young students bring to solving the problems we currently face. Our students continue to demonstrate what is possible even at a young age, when teams are mentored through best practice business skills and apply innovative mindsets and determination.

Thank you Keiretsu Forum, for making this special opportunity possible, and congratulations again, Team Hydrovolts 5!

Keiretsu Forum, the world’s largest angel investment community, will hold its upcoming Angel Capital Expo on November 15, 2012 from 7:30am to 3:00pm at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco. At this premier gathering of angel investors and entrepreneurs, will be five young people aged 14 and 15, who will be honored for their achievement in winning the Camp BizSmart business plan competition 2012 with their own innovative product solution. This team captured this award besting more than 25 teams who competed for this honor. The week of November 12-16, 2012 is Global Entrepreneurship Week when more than 30,000 events focused on entrepreneurship will occur around the world.  It seems only fitting to honor these students for their entrepreneurial grit at the Angel Capital Expo among other entrepreneurs during Global Entrepreneurship Week..

The Hydrovolts Team 5 as they are known, created Ebb N’ Flow, a revolutionary hydrokinetic system. The Ebb N’ Flow system consists of 16 Flip Wing micro turbines  that would be placed in waste water pipes to harness the power of flowing water to generate electricity.  The students’ product solution concept was created to address the business opportunity given to them by Burt Hamner, Founder and CEO of Hydrovlots. The students conceived and drew by hand all components of the design, industrial engineers from WAGIC, met with the students, went over their sketches and product details, then discussed what the final illustration should look like. The result is the product rendering below:

Burt Hamner appeared at the Keiretsu Forum Angel Capital Expo in 2011 and took home the Most Valued Company Award. It was at this event that Peggy Gibbs, COO, Cofounder, Camp BizSmart and BizSmart Global, sought out Mr. Hamner and pitched the idea of working together to provide a business case for Camp BizSmart students to solve during the 10 day entrepreneur sessions that would benefit the students and his company by gathering innovative ideas on a promising market solution they had only begun to explore.

Camp BizSmart Hydrovolts Ebb N’ Flow Team Members are: Jackson Barrett, CEO & CFO, Valerie Woo, CIO, Emmit Tactac, CMO, Rene Siakkhasone, CTO and Karla Jurado, CSO pictured below with Crystal Chang, Session Curriculum Director. This session was conducted at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation  Executive Conference Center.

The Camp BizSmart Top Team for 2012 will have the opportunity to spend the day observing other entrepreneurs pitch their best ideas and compete for recognition for the most valued team and to network with other entrepreneurs during the exhibit portion of the day. And perhaps, another company founder will decide to sponsor a business case for students to create innovative solutions that explore market opportunity and provide examples of might may just be the next winning idea. To discuss being a business case sponsor for 2013, contact Peggy Gibbs at peggy.gibbs@campbizsmart.org.

“What better place to honor Camp BizSmart’s young entrepreneurs, who have the potential to create great value and address the challenging problems in our ever-changing world, then at our Angel Capital Expo,”  said Sonja Markova, Managing Director of Keiretsu Forum. “We are pleased to be a strategic partner of Camp BizSmart and to continue to inspire and nurture their entrepreneurial spirit.”

Register to Attend

The Keiretsu Angel Capital Expo will feature a dozen presentations from early stage companies in technology, life sciences, consumer products, real estate, financial services, social ventures, and other segments with high growth potential. All presenters will be pre-screened by a select committee of Keiretsu Forum members. Each entrepreneur will make a 15-minute presentation and will be available for additional discussion and due diligence at their exhibitor booth throughout the day. Following the presentations, the attendees will vote and award the top three presenting companies the “Most Valued Company” award.

Hosted by Keiretsu Forum, the Angel Capital Expo is the premier gathering of the angel capital community. Invitation to attend is extended only to accredited investors. Accredited investors wishing to attend the Angel Capital Expo please contact Nina Quasebarth, Associate, Investor/Member Services, at nina@keiretsuforum.com or call +1 (415) 573-0753.

About Camp BizSmart

Camp BizSmart inspires young entrepreneurs with hands-on education and expert mentors.  Instilling in students 11-15 entrepreneurial “thrival skills” for the global competitive marketplace, Camp BizSmart draws upon real world business experts from companies like Serious Energy, Cisco, Apple and Google and “hot topic” business cases from innovative companies award winning companies such as Hydrovolts, d.light design, NeuroSky, etc. to practice and gain mastery in essential 21st century skills.  At world renowned Organizations such as Stanford University at the Landau Center and Fisher Conference Center, in partnership with the Precourt Center for Energy Efficiency; the Silicon Valley Community Foundation Executive Conference Center, and Punahou School in Hawaii, and more, our graduates are inspired to be courageous, dream big and work hard, play by the rules, and challenge themselves to create priceless value for their customers, communities, their country and the world. Microsoft,  is host to the business plan competition and WAGIC, an industrial design firm, creates the renderings of the students’ product designs. For more information, please visit, www.campbizsmart.org To learn about our global programs for 12-18 year olds visit: www.bizsmartglobal.com and www.bizsmartglobal.com/india/

The final results are now in – the judges and our company sponsors have reviewed the 4 business plan competitions’ first place winners and have made a decision.  Camp BizSmart ran 2 sessions at Stanford University, 1 session at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center in San Mateo, and 1 at the Punahou School in Hawaii. There were two business cases from two companies, d.light design sponsored by Founder Ned Tozun and Hydrovolts sponsored by founder, CEO Burt Hamner, that student teams chose from and ultimately created their best effort for an innovative and compelling business product solution that addressed the business case requirements.  But before we name the top team let’s review the criteria that was used to select the top winner for 2012:

Completeness: Did they include the Elevator Pitch, Business Problem, Business Solution, Customer Profile, Value Proposition, Competition, Market Plan, Team and Financials?

Organization: Did they organize the information in both the business plan and business plan competition presentation so that the reader or judges/investors find it easy and makes sense?

Persuasion: Did they convince the judges and most importantly the company business problem sponsor that they have a good idea and there is a good reason to follow up with them?

The top 4 teams, from the 4 business plan competitions, vying to be named the top 2012 team were carefully reviewed using this criteria and the top 3 are listed in order below:

2012 Top Grand Finale Team: Hydrovolts team 5  -  ” Ebb and Flow”, won first place at the Camp BizSmart Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Conference Center San Mateo,  July 9-20, 2012 session, and also had their business plan competition held at the  Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center, San Mateo. HydroVolts 5, Ebb and Flow Team members are: CEO- Jackson Barrett, CIO- Valerie Woo, CMO – Emit Tactac, CTO – Rene Siakkasone, and CSO – Karla Jurado. Congratulations  to each of you!  The grand finale prize is to be honored guests at the Keiretsu Angel Capital Expo on November 20, 2012 at Microsoft SV, in Mountain View, CA. and to be honored on stage at this event.

Camp BizSmart's Top Team for 2012 is HydroVolts team 5 - Ebb and Flow.

What the judges and company sponsor said: This team ranked the top in all categories with the most complete, organized, best presentation of a business plan and had an excellent presentation deck and product design that when taken all together was also deemed to be  the most persuasive.

Hydrovolts team 5 CEO Jackson Barrett points out features of the product design during the business plan competition

Valerie Woo, Chief Innovation Officer for Team Hydrovolts 5, created the ingenious prototype to demonstrate how their turbine would work and look which impressed judge Bill Reichert

For those other teams who were in contention for the top team grand finale award,  we know you want to know who came in 2nd and 3rd at least – so here they are as well:

2nd place grand finale ranking in 2012 is:

HydroVolts team 8 – “HydroSustain”, won 1st place at the Camp BizSmart Stanford University July 23-Aug 3 session held at the Alumni Center, which had the business plan competition held at Microsoft Corporation, Mountain View. Hydrovolts Team 8 HydroSustain members are: CEO – Luke Kenworthy, CIO/CTO – Marcus Adolf, CFO – Madelyn Whittaker, CMO – Meagan Benensohn, CSO – Daniel Wang.

Hydrovolts Team 8 - Hydrosustain - 2nd place finale winner for 201

3rd place grand finale ranking  in 2012 is:

HydroVolts team 3 – won first place at the Camp BizSmart Stanford University June 18-29, 2012 session held at the Landau Center, which had the business plan competition held at Microsoft Corporation, Mountain View. Hydrovolts Team 3 members are: CEO – Dheer Bhatt, CFO – Nikita Takru, CTO/CIO – Alex Fine, CSO – Alexis Gauba, CMO – Kim Do.

Hydrovolts Team 3 - 3rd place grand finale winner for 2012

This year we had fierce competition and the students’ really gave it their all!  Congratulations to the top 3 teams for 2012 and especially to the Grand Finale 1st place winner – Ebb and Flow Hydrovolts Team 5!  A very special thank you to the business sponsors – Burt Hamner of Hydrovolts and Ned Tozun of d.light designs.  You guys were inspirational, and challenged the students to create products that would have great value in the world and they did!

A special thanks to all of the judges, and entrepreneurs who inspired our students with your wisdom and expertise: Jim Sweeney, Bill Reichert, Dr. Cristina Banks, Paul Witkay, Maigread Eichten, Mythili Sankaran, Bret Cameto, Don Sanders, Dhaval Ajmera, Bob Fullerton, Sharran Deora, Kevin Surace, Ken Johnson, and Shamini Dhana. Our stellar staff provided great mentoring to the students as they practiced and gained essential skills.  Thanks to Microsoft, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Punahou School and a special shout out to James Sweeney of the Precourt Energy Center for sponsoring Camp BizSmart so that we can use the  Stanford University Alumni Center and Landau Center for partnering with us so we were able to use your great facilities!  Finally, thank you to the Keiretsu Forum for partnering with Camp BizSmart to make entrepreneurial education available to our students.  We can’t wait to have our 2012 grand finale team attend the Keiretsu Angel Capital Expo on November 20th!

Please view previous blogs to read about each of the 2012 Camp BizSmart Business and Entrepreneur Academy Business Plan Competition Sessions which were held this year at the following locations:

• Stanford University: June 18-29, 2012
• Silicon Valley Community Foundation, San Mateo: July 9-20, 2012
• Stanford University: July 23-Aug 3, 2012
• Punahou School, Hawaii: July 23-Aug 3, 2012

You may also visit the Camp BizSmart You Tube to watch slide shows and videos from various camps.

For additional programs on entrepreneurship, business skills, innovation and design see: BizSmart Global at www.bizsmartglobal.com and BizSmart Global India at www.bizsmartglobal.com/india/