Judges Announced for HIplan Finals

This Saturday, Oct. 27, is the HIplan 2018 Hawai‘i Island Business Plan Finals. The top 8 teams will compete for a $25,000 prize.

The teams have been practicing for the last 2 weeks and they are an impressive bunch.

HIplan will also award 6 UH Hilo scholarships, a $5000 advertising prize from Pacific Media Group, plus memberships to Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce. The total prizes this year are worth more than $60,000 in cash value.

The judges this year are:

• Murray Clay, managing partner, Ulupono Initiative
• Howard Dicus, business reporter, Hawaii News Now
• Shiraz Dole, program manager, Blue Startups
• Karl Fooks, president, HTDC
• Meli James, co-founder, Mana Up
• Steve Sakoman, founder, Sakoman Inc.
  Jane Sawer, Hawai‘i district director, SBA

During this final round of the competition, each of the eight finalists will be judged on their seven page written business plan, a two-minute “elevator pitch” of their plan, and their 12-minute presentation of that plan. The public is invited to attend Round 3 at UH Hilo UCB 100 at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The eight finalists are listed in alphabetical order:

• Big Island Coffee Roasters
• Hawai‘i Electrical Maintenance Svcs
• Lawaia Fresh Fish Market
• Mauna Kea Cacao
• Pau Hana Pet Resort
• SRFly
• Uncle Tilo’s Water Catchment
• Upcycle Hawai‘i

For more information on HIplan and the Hawai‘i Island Business Plan Competition, go online or contact Jason Ueki, HIplan executive director at (808) 494-4031, or Jason@HIplan.biz.