Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs today (Oct. 10) announced prize money and seminar dates its 2015 Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition.

SEVERAL ATTACHMENTS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY PROVIDE COMPLETE DETAILS ON ENTERING THE COMPETITION.

• First place prize is $4,000 in business start-up costs.
• Second place is $1,500 in start-up.
• Third place is $500 in start-up costs.

This is BCE’s sixth business plan competition and it recognizes the late Ropp Triplett, long-time Bluffton industrial leader and entrepreneur.

“The contest is open to start-up businesses and emerging businesses that are less than three years old. The competition teaches entrepreneurs to write a business plan that will help them improve their existing business or to successfully start a new one,” said Brendon Matthews, BCE board president.

The competition’s initial free session is Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015. It takes place, as all session, in the Bluffton town hall third floor meeting room. All sessions are from 6 to 8 p.m.

Kathy Keller, director, Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Lima, instructs all sessions and those class dates and themes follow:

Jan. 14: “Launch Your Business Right (free session)

Jan. 21: “So You Want to be an Entrepreneur” (fees and applications are due)

Jan. 28: “Planning to Start a Business”

Feb. 4: “Developing Your Business Idea”

Feb. 11: “Testing Your Business Idea and Getting it to Market”

Feb. 18: “Accounting for Your Business”

Feb. 25: “Financing Your Business”

March 4: “Final Pitch Dress Rehearsal (business plan due)

March 11: Final pitches

To enter the competition, contestants must complete an entry form and submit a $150 application fee. The fee for college student to enter is $75. The deadline to enter the contest is Wednesday, Jan. 21.

For a copy of the entry form and additional information contact BCE at 419-369-2985 or open the attachment at the bottom of the story for a printer-friendly copy of the application.