Student entrepreneurs will compete for financial support and in-kind professional services during the Startup Showcase business competition beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, November 2, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington, Illinois. The annual competition is sponsored by the George R. and Martha Means Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Illinois State University.

The Startup Showcase competition challenges student entrepreneurs from Illinois State to envision and develop ideas for startup companies. They are judged on intentionally developing a big value idea, testing sales assumptions with customers, and developing and executing a business plan model.

Notable winners include Jon Korsgard and Alexander Steenbergen of Scandles, Brain Souza of Bizz Baits, and Mike Shannon and Kasey Gandham of Packback Books.

Finalists in the competition will present their progress toward implementation to a panel of investors and entrepreneurs beginning at 10 a.m. For more information on registering or entering Startup Showcase, visit the website.