UCI Engineering Alumnus' Business Plan Among 20 Finalists in Nationwide Business Plan Challenge

SleepDesigns, a business plan co-created by UC Irvine engineering alumni Gus Monico '99, has been selected as a finalist for one of the most prestigious awards in the country. Not only has it been chosen among the top 15 finalists for the 2002-2003 ThinkTank/GSM-UCI Campuswide Business Plan Competition, but SleepDesigns, representing UCI, is also among the top 20 finalists in the nation's largest business plan competition, the 2003 Carrot Capital Business Plan Challenge. While more than 740 teams and 2,300 students representing America's top colleges and universities entered the competition, only 20 were selected as finalists.

I am very excited to make it this far in the competition, says Monico. My engineering degree has been the backbone of all my professional accomplishments and business ventures. UCI's reputation continues to open up opportunities in my career and entrepreneurial undertakings. I am greatly thankful to both The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and the Graduate School of Management.

SleepDesigns is a medical-device concept for treating sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.

On April 26th, SleepDesigns will compete in New York City against 19 other teams for up to $3 million in funding offers. The winner will be named the Forbes magazine's Future Capitalist and receive up to $1 million in seed capital. The winning team will also open The NASDAQ Stock Market on Tuesday, April 29th, to be televised to millions around the globe.

Carrot Capital is an early-stage, New York-based venture capitalist firm. The Business Plan Challenge, co-sponsored by Forbes and HSBC Bank, is a competition geared towards helping university entrepreneurs get business funds.

The 2002-03 ThinkTank/GSM-UCI Campuswide Business Plan Competition is sponsored by ThinkTank, a leading business innovator, and cosponsored and managed by the Graduate School of Management (GSM). The winning team will receive a $50,000 business development investment.

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