Date : 11/4/2004

Once Again Thammasat has risen to the top ranks when it won the third place place in the New Venture Championship 2004 (NVC) competition held in Portland, Oregon during April 8-10, 2004.

The third place and $5,000 winner in the New Venture Championship 2004 was the university’s Khun Sa-ad (Mr Clean) team of Wiwat Hemmodharop, Benjamard Jongmahasanchai, Pornpan Winyupakorn, and Jatuphon Wongsangarunsri with Faculty Advisers, Bill Randall and Edward Rubesch. The Khun Sa-ad concept focuses on a new waste management service that remodels Bangkok’s existing system and service to one that maximizes the US$300 million of recyclable waste currently disposed of each year.

The New Venture Championship (NVC) is one of the top three business plan competitions in the United States. Presented by the University of Oregon’s Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship (LCE) the NVC offers more than $60,000 in cash prizes and has grown from a small, internal competition to an international event that attracts schools from across the nation and halfway around the world.



The first NVC was held in 1992 in a classroom at the university. Only three teams participated, the prize pool was less than three hundred dollars, and there were no corporate sponsors. In 2003, twenty teams reached the semifinals and the prize pool reached its highest level in the competition’s twelve-year history.

The LCE has dedicated itself to building a unique learning experience for student competitors. Teams are challenged to perform at the highest level in three separate rounds that push them out of their “comfort zone” and test their skills and abilities as future business leaders.

In twelve years, the NVC has played a major role in building and sustaining entrepreneurial education in Oregon, the northwest, and the nation. We at the LCE are proud of our role in that process. With the continued generous assistance of our sponsors, we look forward to the continued growth and success of the NVC.

In order to even compete at the NVC, a team must be selected in a preliminary round where judges will judge the plans and select the top 20 to enter the semifinals and make the trip to Portland. This year there were 51 teams which entered the competition, many coming from programs with the top Entrepreneurship programs in the country.

After three days of hard work and intense competition, the NVC concludes with an Awards Reception hosted by Columbia Sportswear. The focus of this event is the crowning of the New Venture Champion and the disbursement of $ 60,000 in cash prizes. The champion takes home the biggest check for $ 25,000, but everyone leaves the event a winner.

Winners for this year’s competition were:
1st place - Ohio State University – Clinical Nanotechnologies Corporation - Clinical Nanotechnologies Corporation is dedicated to developing and commercializing novel drug and therapeutic delivery systems. Our initial product utilizes the recent invention of an oral transmucosal drug delivery device to administer analgesic medication that previously could only be administered intravenously.

2nd Place - University of Iowa – Flexon Soloutions - Flexon Solutions, LLC was founded in August 2003 to identify and develop cost-effective road safety solutions including a pavement marking retroreflectometer. The first wave of products will be delivered in March 2004 with product sales beginning by first quarter of 2005.

3rd place - Thammasat University - Khun Sa-ad (Mr. Clean) is a new waste management service that organizes the inefficient collection system currently operating in Bangkok. Khun Sa-ad’s goal is to capture the US$300 million of recyclable waste that Bangkok throws away each year
Runner up - University of Colorado – Metal Removal technologies - Metal Removal Technologies uses its patent-pending technology to reduce the cost of removing heavy metals from industrial wastewater by 35% without sacrificing effectiveness.

Runner up - University of Illinois – Organo Device Technologies - OrganoDevice Technologies (ODT) leverages upon its proprietary innovations of novel soft metal contacts and three-dimensional nanopatterning technologies. ODT designed and developed fully inkjet printable and on-chip integrated full-color low-cost organic optoelectronic devices for high-performance applications.

Both the Asia Moot Corp and the New Venture Championship are established ‘feeder’ business plan competitions to the Moot Corp Competition at the University of Texas – widely regarded as the ‘Superbowl’ of business plan competitions. After a series of regional successes, Thammasat distinguished itself and Thailand by winning the top prize in the 1999 Moot Corp Competition.

Quotes from students who participated in New Venture Championship

Wiwat Hemmondharop (Mr.)

The comments and recommendations obtained from experienced judges are very valuable to our project. We challenged them to the new and constructive business ideas. Impressively, our ideas are enthusiastically received and considered by those judges! It’s the presentation to the real businessman in the real business environment, not anymore in the academic environment.

The reward has shown to the global business world that not only the high technology business idea can be achieved in MOOT CORPbut the business idea from our Thai’s wisdom and social structure can also win in the eyes of foreign judges and investors. I am proud of my team, my advisors and being part of MIM Program.

Jatuphon Wongsangarunsri (Mr.)

It was my first time participating in the international business plan competition. I found it challenging and competitive but still the experience I gained was very knowledgeable and enjoyable. I am very proud of our achievement. More importantly, we were the only Asian team among the top American Universities.






Pornpun Winyupakorn (Ms.)

It's really a nice experience to join the international New Venture Competition in Portland. I can learn how to work as a good team both with team members and advisors, what a good business plan should be in the view of real investors, how to handle with the unforeseen and challenging situation. Last but not least I would like to thank you my university, to give me a good chance. I am really proud to be the representative from MIM, Thammasat University and Thai people. Thank you everyone who always help and support our Team. Cheers!!


Benjamard Jongmahasanchai (Ms.)

To participate in the New Venture Championship is the moment that I will never forget. Working as a team can make things possible. I have learned how hard it is to be an entrepreneur – how to get support from other business partners and seek fund, and how the venture capitalists think. Also, it is a great opportunity to learn to handle things in the challenging circumstances. But, I have not come this far without the support from these people.

First of all, thank you team! I am very happy and proud to be part of Khun Sa-ad Team. Second of all, thank you Mr. Bill Randall for choosing me in the team. I remembered what you’ve said in class ‘it’s really once in a life time’. Your word thrilled me. And you are right! And Mr. Edward Rubesch…you are a great advisor... you have supported and encouraged us a lot for almost 8 months…thank you for believing in us!! Third of all, thank you MIM program and Thammasat University. You have supported us a lot. Thammasat University is always the place I am proud of. Fourth of all, thank you my family. You always support me no matter what!! You are ones behind the success too!!

2004 Competition Flow Chart
www.bus.tu.ac.th/mim/news/Mootcorp2004/2004CompetitionFlowChart.htm