BOSTON, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club announces the sixth annual Biotechnology Business Plan Competition with sponsorship from the international law firm of Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP, Merck Research Laboratories (MRL)-Boston and the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard (TECH).
The GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Business Plan Competition is unique in that it focuses exclusively on biotechnology start-ups. The 2005 Biotechnology Business Plan competition is open to entrepreneurs, students and professionals worldwide, and does not require Harvard University affiliation. The competition offers a $5,000 cash award for the first prize, and a $1,000 cash award for second prize. It also presents the opportunity for early stage biotechnology companies to have their business plans reviewed by seasoned venture capitalists and other biotechnology experts in the Boston area.
Leading up to the competition, the GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club is hosting a series of workshops designed to assist applicants. Workshops will teach the basics of writing a business plan and how to tackle some of the corporate, intellectual property and organizational hurdles faced by start-up companies in the biotech sector. This series will conclude with our annual Venture Capital and IP/Tech Transfer Q&A panels. All of the events are open to the public and will be held in the rotunda of the Harvard Medical School NRB building in Boston, MA.
For additional information about the Biotechnology Business Plan Competition, the Biotech Club, or becoming a sponsor, please contact Thekla Diehl, tdiehl@thebiotechclub.org or Patrick Loerch, patrick@thebiotechclub.org or visit http://www.thebiotechclub.org/.
Schedule of Events: Wednesday, April 13th, 4:00 - 6:00pm Speakers: Dr. Joe Lassiter and Dr. Mike Roberts, Harvard Business School 4:00 - 4:50pm The Basics of Writing a Business Plan 5:10 - 6:00pm A Critique of 2004’s Competition Finalists, NeuroHealing Pharmaceuticals and Mujisan Pharmaceuticals Thursday, April 28th, 4:00 - 6:00pm Speakers: Dr. Lee Fleming and Dr. Noam Wasserman, Harvard Business School 4:00 - 4:50pm Founders and Teams in a Start-up Company 5:10 - 6:00pm Cambridge vs Silicon Valley as Start-up Environments Thursday, May 5th, 4:00 - 6:00pm Venture Capital and IP/Tech Transfer Panels Panelists: To Be Announced Sunday, May 15th Business Plan Competition Submission Deadline Thursday, June 2nd, 7:00 - 9:00pm Final Awards Ceremony and Reception About the GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club
In the five years since the GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club was founded by three former Harvard graduate students, the Club has grown to include over 2500 academic members and 2500 members from industry, including members from around the world. A central fixture in the Boston biotech community, the Biotech Club constantly strives to bridge the gap between industry, academia, and the general public on matters relating to biotechnology and its applications. The Club’s web-content and seminars cover the many facets of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, as well as providing career assistance to its members. Many of the Club’s sponsors include top biotech and pharmaceutical research firms, numerous intellectual property law and venture financing firms. The Club’s mission is to explore and raise awareness on every aspect of biotechnology.
About Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP
Brown Rudnick is a full-service, international law firm with offices in the United States and Europe. The firm’s 200 attorneys provide representation across key areas of the law:
Corporate & Securities, Intellectual Property, Government Law & Strategies, Complex Litigation, Real Estate, Bankruptcy & Finance, Energy and Health Care. Combining a dedication to excellence with a commitment to superior client service, Brown Rudnick provides its clients with a breadth and depth of expertise uniquely suited to their legal needs.
The Brown Rudnick Center for the Public Interest is a measure of the Firm’s strong commitment to the community and serves as an umbrella entity encompassing the Firm’s pro bono legal work, charitable giving, community involvement and public interest efforts.
About Merck Research Laboratories
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines in more than 20 therapeutic categories. The company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit http://www.merck.com/. The latest addition to the Merck network of advanced research facilities, Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) Boston, launched in August 2004. The MRL Boston research center is dedicated to the discovery of therapeutics for Oncology and Alzheimer’s disease -- therapeutic areas that will improve worldwide human health. For more information, visit http://www.mrk-brc.com/.
Contact: GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club Patrick Loerch, Managing Director 617.935.6228 patrick@thebiotechclub.org
GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club
CONTACT: Patrick Loerch, Managing Director of GSAS Harvard BiotechnologyClub, +1-617-935-6228, patrick@thebiotechclub.org
Web site: http://www.thebiotechclub.org/