Successful Completion of The European Business Plan Competition 2013

We are pleased to announce that WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management is the winner of the 2013 European Business Plan of the Year Competition for its business plan ”evopark – evolution in parking”.

The European Business Plan of the Year Competition is Europe's longest running MBA business plan competition and was hosted this year by ALBA Graduate Business School at Τhe American College of Greece in Athens, Greece on May 31st and June 1st.

ALBA has set a record to the competition since our students have won the most awards competing against the top European Business Schools. More specifically ALBA won 1st prize on 2003, 2005 and 2010, and also was named 1st runner up on 2006 & 2007 and 2nd runner up on 2008.

The annual competition, designed to encourage entrepreneurship and the creation of new ventures, attracted eleven entries from Europe’s leading business schools, from which the most commercially-promising and innovative business ideas/ventures were selected.

All teams took part in three minute elevator pitches in front of all the judges and participants before taking part in a 20 minute presentation in front of an esteemed panel of judges. The remaining six finalist teams presented again, on the second day, for 15 minutes in front of the whole judging panel who decided upon an overall winner and two runners-up. The elevator pitch awards was given based on the results of a popularity voting among all participants, guests and judges

Participating schools for the 21st edition were (in alphabetical order) ALBA Graduate Business School at The American College of Greece, Cranfield School of Management, EM Lyon Business School, IESE Business School, London Business School, Manchester Business School, Mannheim Business School, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, University of St. Gallen, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School, WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management.

For the selection of the winning team, ALBA had enlisted a group of eminent personalities from the entrepreneurial and the business community, consisting of Mr. Giannis Arabatzis, Mr. Yannis Angelis, Mr. Julian Costely , Mr. Aristos Doxiadis, Mr. Nick Hancock , Mr. Arnaud Henin, Mr. Vassilis Papakonstantinou, Mr. Loukas Pilitisis, Mr. Kostis Stavropoulos, Mr. Spryros Trachanis , Mr. Chris Tsangos  and Mr. Onic Paladjian who was also the keynote speaker at the Gala Dinner on Friday night where the 6 finalists were announced. 

The competition had a great atmosphere from the moment the first competitors arrived and the anticipation for the finals grew as Saturday neared. Finalist were : Cranfield School of Management, EM Lyon Business School, London Business School, Mannheim Business School, University of St. Gallen and WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management. All finalists were of very high caliber, and a diverse range of business ideas were showcased.

After long deliberations from the judges, the following winners were announced, as follows: First Prize – winning 3000 Euros - “evopark – evolution in parking”, WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management, Second Prize – winning 1500 Euros - ” Corrado’s”, London Business School, Third Prize – winning 500 Euros - “5DIAD Technologies”, EM Lyon Business School.

Elevator Pitch Prize – winning 500 Euros - “GearMe”, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School

Team members, coaches and professors left Greece with unforgettable experiences and great memories to accompany them.

To learn more about the competition visit www.ebpyc.org

A Special thank you to our kind supporters: