Faux dollars will bring real value to young entrepreneurs at a business exhibition and fundraising dinner sponsored by DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center May 14.

Eighteen DePaul students who have sought help from the center to start for-profit, nonprofit and socially conscious businesses this year will showcase their ventures at the event, called E-motion 2009. Attendees—including members of the local entrepreneur and venture capital community—will be given $100,000 in pretend money, called Blueprint Bucks, to “invest” in those ventures they feel are most likely to succeed.  The student business owner with the most “investment” at the end of the night will be recognized with an award, and perhaps attract the eye of a future mentor or real investor.

“E-motion gives these college entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their ideas to, get feedback from and network with members of the local entrepreneur community and like-minded students, which is a valuable part of moving to the next level in their business plans,” said Raman Chadha, executive director of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center at DePaul.  “It showcases not only their ventures, but also the Blueprint program at the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center, which helps DePaul student-entrepreneurs launch, manage and grow their own businesses.”

Among the exhibitors will be finalists from this year’s Launch DePaul, formerly known as the DePaul New Venture Challenge. The annual, academic-year-long entrepreneurial competition attracts teams of DePaul students and recent alumni who present business plans to vie for up to $10,000 in cash, as well as a package of professional business-launching services. The competition emphasizes the ability of teams to demonstrate the sustainability of their ventures, illustrated by the achievement of milestones and/or documentation of market potential.

This year’s final round had two tracks—one for for-profit ventures, which had three finalists, and a second for non-profit or social ventures, which had two finalists. The five teams presented their business plans to a panel of local entrepreneurs and DePaul alumni judges on April 30.

The top for-profit prize went to a team led by MBA student Ben Meader, which outlined the business plan for CareerHook, a one-stop shop for employment agencies to quickly post jobs and screen candidates. The team won $4,000 in cash and $5,000 in legal services. The top team in the non-profit/social venture category was led by Jennifer Moran, a College of Commerce senior. That team presented GREENOLA, an online, women’s fair-trade, sustainable clothing and accessories retailer, and was awarded $3,000 in cash and $1,000 in legal services.

“These competitions provide students with structure, process and feedback as well as a chance to win seed money and services,” Chadha said. “The structure gives them a defined framework with which they can develop their business ideas; the process educates them about the critical thinking that must go into idea development; and the judges’ feedback helps them understand their ideas’ strengths and weaknesses in a ‘real world’ context.  And this all helps make better cases when they apply for future financing.”

E-motion 2009 will feature a cocktail reception and student entrepreneur showcase from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by dinner and an awards presentation, at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie St., Chicago.  Individual tickets are $150; Coleman Center members pay $125.  Tables are $1,500.  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://cec.depaul.edu or call the center at (312) 362-8625.

The Coleman Entrepreneurship Center is an outreach center and entrepreneurship support organization at DePaul that assists entrepreneurs throughout the Chicago area and in the various stages of the entrepreneurial quest.  Its mission is to equip students and entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills needed to awaken their entrepreneurial spirit, explore opportunities, launch and grow ventures, and make successful transitions. The center’s services, educational programs and resources enable it to fill an important role for entrepreneurs who need a strategic advisor, professional educator and supportive partner.