MillerCoors is putting out a call for entries for an annual entrepreneurial contest in which the top winner will be awarded a $100,000 grant, and the four runners up will each receive $25,000.
Called the MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneurs Series (MUES), the competition is open to participants between the ages of 21 and 35, and the deadline for entries is 5 p.m. Oct. 1. [NOTE:Deadline has been extended to Friday, October 9, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. (CST)]
The categories for the contest are Communications/Creative Services, Retail/Manufacturer/Merchandising, Restaurant/Food and Beverage Services, IT/Computer Technology, Engineering/Construction/Building Services, and Specialized/Professional Services.
Last year's winners include Fairfax, Virginia-based Angel Handbags, an online-only retail store founded by ReShon Anderson offering the latest in designer handbags and accessories; and Houston-based dN|Be Apparel, featuring edgy-but-"culturally conscious" clothing that is donned by some Hip Hop artists.
Over the 10-year course of the MUES program, approximately 1,500 business plans have been submitted and MillerCoors has awarded over $1 million to some 100 urban entrepreneurs nationwide. MUES estimates that 50 percent of these businesses are currently operational, thereby benefiting urban communities by providing jobs and sustaining economic growth and development in sometimes blighted communities.
UPDATE: DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2009 AT 5:00 P.M (CST)
The original entry deadline for the 2009 MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneurs Series (MUES) Business Plan Competition, has been extended to Friday, October 9, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. (CST). An integral component of MUES is the Business Plan Competition, which concludes with grants awarded to aspiring professionals to invest as start-up capital for their new or existing businesses. This year's top winner will be awarded a $100,000 grant, and four others will receive grants of $25,000 each. The competition is open to participants between the ages of 21 and 35. Over the course of the MUES program, approximately 1,500 business plans have been submitted and MillerCoors has awarded over $1 million, benefiting more than 100 urban entrepreneurs throughout the nation. It is estimated that 50 percent of these businesses are currently operational, benefiting urban communities by providing jobs and sustaining economic growth and development in sometimes blighted communities.
