Lift off Houston 2014

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Mayor Annise Parker Announces Liftoff Houston! 2014

Register today!

Mayor Annise Parker recently announced the second year launch of the "Liftoff Houston!" 2014 Business Plan Competition. Sponsored by Capital One Bank and in partnership with the Houston Public Library and the Office of Business Opportunity, the competition engages and empowers Houstonians seeking to start a new business in Houston by providing them with access to essential information, resources and support necessary to develop a sound business plan as a first step toward realizing this goal.

To be eligible, businesses must have been in operation for less than one year, have revenue of less than $10,000 and be located within Houston's city limits. Capital One Bank is the key sponsor for this event providing cash prizes totaling $30,000.

The competition will take place in four stages - orientation, workshop, mentoring, and presentation, over a 5 month period. Applicants will participate in a myriad of workshops ranging from business plan basics to access to capital, as well as information sessions on essential City of Houston business resources available through the Houston Public Library (HPL) and the City's Office of Business Opportunity (OBO.) The goal is to enable individuals to successfully research and develop their business plan. Applicants will also receive additional support from professional mentors from SCORE Houston and Capital One Bank to further refine their business plan for submission.

This year there will be three award categories: Product, Service, and Innovation. A winner from each award category will receive a $10,000 cash prize along with in-kind prizes.

$10,000 - Awarded for top "Product" Based Business Plan (Retail, resale, merchandise, etc.)

$10,000 - Awarded for top "Service" Based Business Plan (Food, labor, consulting, etc.)

$10,000 - Awarded for top "Innovation" Based Business Plan (Software, Hardware, inventions, new market businesses, etc.)

Mandatory orientations will be given to provide interested individuals with detailed information about the competition including rules, resources, and the process to compete. Multiple sessions of the orientation will be offered at designated Houston Public Library locations citywide.

Timeline of Competition:

RSVP for Orientation Session: June 11, 2014 - July 31, 2014

Orientation: July 12, 2014 - July 31, 2014

For more information or to register, visit www.liftoffhouston.com or call 832-393-0954.