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Boost Your Business

Thank you for your interest in the 2008 Boost Your Business Contest on Forbes.com. The Semi-finalist Voting Period is now closed.

Hanging in the balance: a $100,000 check to the Grand Prize winner. Four runners-up will also win an HP Compaq 2730p Business Notebook and an HP OfficeJet Pro 7600 All-in-One.

Now we invite the 5 finalists that you have selected to Forbes.com for coaching and final pitches to our esteemed judging panel. We will post the 5 finalists online on November 1st. Then, you get to vote for the WINNER! The winner will be determined based on reader votes and the votes of the judging panel.

Who will win $100,000? YOU can help decide! Come back on November 1 to cast your vote.

See the complete details in the Official Rules

See Contest Timeline

 

"Opportunity abounds ... for emerging companies that have a passion for innovation. Forbes.com is looking not only to celebrate these small businesses, but also to help them grow. Buoyed up by a panel of experts, this contest aims to identify sound business ideas with the most promise for growth."

—Brett Nelson
Entrepreneurs Editor, Forbes.com

  

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS TIMELINE

April/May ENTRY SUBMISSIONS - Community submits written business pitches via contest page on Forbes.com

June/July INITIAL JUDGING ROUND - Judging panel selects 20 semi-finalists; the submit a 30-second elevator pitch to support their write-up

August/Sept 2nd JUDGING ROUND - Forbes.com community votes on the 20 candidates, reducing the fields to 5 finalists

OCT PROFILES ROUND - Each finalist submits more detailed business plan to be profiled on Forbes.com

OCT PRESENTATIONS - Finalists convene in NYC and give live presentations (20 minutes apiece) to the judging panel; videos & business plans on Forbes.com for reader voting

NOV FINAL JUDGING ROUND - Expert panel & Forbes.com community online voting determine winner & runners-up

DEC GRAND PRIZE PRESENTATION - Reception & Award presentation at the Forbes Galleries