Space Frontier Foundation and Heinlein Trust Announce $5,000 NewSpace Business Plan Prize

Nyack, NY, April, 23 2009 – The Space Frontier Foundation will host a business plan competition during its NewSpace 2009 Conference at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, July 17-20, to help entrepreneurs creating NewSpace startup firms. Finalists will present their plans to a distinguished panel of judges featuring venture capitalists and angel investors, receiving professional feedback and exposure to the public, press, and investor community. The winner will receive a $5,000 prize funded by the Heinlein Trust, as well as the opportunity to present their business plan at Space Investment Summit 7 in Boston on September 30, 2009.

“Successful competition in the marketplace is the only way for any business to achieve long-term economic viability,” stated Art Dula, Trustee and literary executor of the estate of acclaimed science fiction author Robert Heinlein. “The Space Frontier Foundation’s business plan competition strives to be as close to reality as possible and the Heinlein Trust is pleased to make it even more real by funding a cash prize.”

The Foundation is assembling a panel of judges to be announced at a later date.

Entrepreneurial space and space-related companies wishing to participate are asked to submit Executive Summaries and an entry form by June 5th to businessplan@spacefrontier.org. Entries must adhere to the parameters outlined in the competition rules to be considered. Finalists will be announced publicly on June 22nd. Companies selected to present at NewSpace 2009 will be required to arrive the day before the competition for a “Boot-Camp” – including a presentation dry-run and practical guidance from investors and marketing professionals. Final presentations in front of the judges will be on the morning of July 19th.

Competition rules can be found by clicking here.

“The Space Frontier Foundation is in the business of Advancing NewSpace through public education,” added the Foundation’s Executive Director, Will Watson. “Our business plan competition is a chance for conference attendees to see for themselves the process of real businesses being formed. It’s entirely possible that this year’s winner could go on to become a multi-billion dollar, twenty-first century giant.”

NewSpace 2009 is a single-track conference focusing on entrepreneurial space activities. Sessions are intended not only to provide interesting presentations, but also to generate lively discussions among NewSpace CEOs, established space industry leaders, NASA & military space experts, and government regulators.

Registration information is already available and programming details will launch soon.

Tagged as: Art Dula, Business Plan Competition, Heinlein Trust, NASA Ames, NewSpace, NewSpace 2009, Space Investment Summit