Welcome to the LifeBridge Health 2011 Woman and Minority Entrepreneur Challenge.

If you have not logged in before, please click the REGISTER button and follow the instructions. Once you register, click on "Submit a Business Idea' to begin the process to upload your business plan.  If you have already registered, please log in using your e-mail address and password.

About the LifeBridge 2011 Entrepreneur Challenge

If you are a  woman or minority owned business operating in the State of Maryland, we invite you to showcase your solution to healthcare's most pressing challenges.  We are looking for creative, innovative, and high growth potential businesses from across the healthcare spectrum. 

In keeping with LifeBridge Health’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and our recognition of the pivotal role that entrepreneurs will play in driving the growth of our state’s vital healthcare industry, LifeBridge Health has initiated a business plan competition aimed at recognizing promising healthcare innovations developed here in Maryland.

Businesses that are selected to participate in the final round will compete for a cash prize of $15,000 and have the chance to pitch their business plan to a panel comprised of senior executives from LifeBridge Health, investors, and other prominent business leaders.  Through its network of business partners, LifeBridge will provide opportunities for networking, mentoring, and media exposure with the goal of fostering a community of healthcare entrepreneurs who offer innovative solutions for our healthcare and hospital industries. 

Please note the deadline for Round One submissions is January 18, 2012.

Entry Criteria

• Certified woman or minority owned business (must be certified by an accredited group)
• Healthcare related product or service, with a preference given to products and services with a significant value proposition for a hospital and health system environment
• Companies should be no more than 5 years old
• Companies should have revenues not greater than $1 million
• Principal site of business operations must be in the state of Maryland
• Company officers/members must be at least 18 years of age
• Company officers/members must be US citizens or permanent resident

Exclusions:

• Employees of LifeBridge Health or their relatives

Evaluation Process and Key Deadlines

1. Executive summaries will be reviewed by our Review Committee, who will select up to eight semi-finalists.  Please use the application template provide.  Applicants should enter their text responses via the I-Start platform. 

2. Semi-finalists will be required to submit a full business plan by February 25, 2012.  Using the template and questions as a guide, applicants should upload a PDF version of their business plan (up to 15 pages, plus an additional 5 pages of graphs, charts, appendices). 

3. Our panel will select up to four finalists, who will be invited to pitch their plan at an event to be held in mid-February in conjunction with the annual LifeBridge Small Business Academy, where we will select and announce the winner.