The 2011 Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization(CEO) National Conference will host over 1,000 entrepreneurial minded college students in Fort Worth, Texas, October 27-29. The National Elevator Pitch, CEO Hall of Fame Induction, Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, CEO Chapter Awards, and the new CEO Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award will all be part of this year’s conference added to the over 70 speakers.
CEO will be honoring one of the original founders of Chuck E. Cheese, Gene Landrum by inducting him into the CEO Hall of Fame at the National Conference at at the TCU vs. BYU football game in Cowboys Stadium. Landrum originated the Chuck E. Cheese concept of family entertainment. CEO will also be recognized during the game.
Gene Landrum joins a prestigious list of CEO Hall of Fame inductees that include Michael DeLazzer (Redbox), Jeff Hoffman (Priceline.com), Gordon Segal (Crate & Barrel), Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines), Steve Wozniak (Apple Computers), and many more.
Around 70 speakers will join students in a celebration of entrepreneurship while encouraging them to act on their ideas and passion towards being their own boss and creating jobs. Among the speakers will be several of Inc’s 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs Daniel Gomez Iniguez of Solben, and Arel Moodie of the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour.
Daniel Gomez Iniguez earned over a Million in revenues through his alternative energy company Solben before his 21st birthday in Septmber. Solben now projects to create over 3 million in revenue during 2011. Iniguez learned how to produce biodiesel while attending high school and a college course at the same time.
Arel Moodie is an energetic speaker who started a sold a web real estate company. In 2009, Moodie became a partner of the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour (EET), and has acted as the event emcee at EET’s 100 events a year.
A total of 60 competitors will take part in the National Elevator Pitch Competition held throughout the conference. Past finalists of the competition have gone on to launch their businesses successfully with the help of cash prizes they received from the competition. The Elevator Pitch Competition will award a first place prize of $2,500 and a total of over $6,000.
Justin Mares from the University of Pittsburgh finished 2nd in the 2010 competition with his new startup RoomateFit. “I decided to compete in the competition because my professor of entrepreneurship suggested that I do so, and it ended up being a fantastic experience,” said Mares. During the 2010 National Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization Conference held in Chicago, Mares was able to meet Sam Yagan, founder of OkCupid. Yagan provided guidance and advice that has helped Mares to grow his business. “This has been especially helpful, as we have similar businesses that target different audiences. I also met several other students who I am still in contact with and who provide a good network of young people interested in entrepreneurship.”
The Collegiate Entrepreneurs organization holds National and regional events each year to help inspire young entrepreneurial minded students to create their own ventures. CEO operates at over 230 university chapters.
Registration to the National Conference is still open, register at www.c-e-o.org.
