Top 8 Finalists Announced for Business Plan Competition

HIplan announces the Top 8 businesses that will advance to the finals of the 2018 Hawai‘i Island Business Plan Competition.

The businesses 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

These teams will compete in on Oct. 27, from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. at UH Hilo for a chance to win a $25,000 cash prize. The highest scoring business plan from a University of Hawai‘i Hilo student will be awarded a tuition scholarship for two semesters.

The businesses will present a two-minute elevator pitch and a 12-minute PowerPoint presentation in front of a team of qualified professionals. The public is invited to hear their pitches.

This business plan competition is co-hosted by the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and NELHA, and is administered by the Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce. The competition was open to individuals or groups (for-profit or nonprofit) whose business plan focuses on developing startup or expanding a business based on Hawai‘i Island.

The purpose of the competition is to stimulate development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem on Hawai‘i Island. The competition encourages contestants to develop or refine their business plans towards developing viable new businesses on Hawai‘i Island.