Press release for immediate publication LIBA-TiE ESPIRE 2011 - Pan India Business Plan Challenge winners announced

Chennai, November 24, 2011: Loyola Insititute of Business

Administraion (LIBA) today announced the winners of the fourth edition of ESPIRE 2011 Pan India Business Plan Challenge that was held at sylvan surroundings of LIBA Campus. LIBA and TiE have come together to identify and recognize ideas and talent that can create tomorrows businesses. The award categories were a mix of both general and students. Two teams from the general category and 10 teams from the student category made their final round of presentation to the jury members. The panel were a mix of Venture Capitalists and Charter Members that include, Raja Ganapathy, Vice President -Marketing and Kartik , Sequoia Capital; Rahul Khanna, Song MD , Canaan Partners; Pradeep, COO, Aavishkar; Anuradha, Principal Partner, Ventureast Srivatsav, Investment Manager, Investment. Ramaraj, Venture Partner, Sequoia Capital and Ravi Santhanam, Former MD & CEO Hindustan Motors. In its fourth year, LIBA received 450 registrations and 250 entries, of which 30 teams were selected for the initial round. From the 30 teams, 12 were short listed for the final round of business plan competition. The winner, ARMAAN a team of two, Anjali Raj of ISB Hyderabad and Rahul Gupta of IIIT Hyderabad for their innovative idea on wellness centre for pregnant women. The centre focuses on includes fitness, nutrition, family counseling and apparel planning. TiE Chennai along with LIBA will help to incubate and convert their idea into a commercial venture. The winner has bagged the opportunity of receiving a cash award of Rs. 70,000, Participate in the Asia Finals of TiECON business plan, Access to incubation at C.K.Prahalad Center for Emerging India, Avenues for funding for the top teams, Pitch to a VC session at the TiE conference,

Invitation to TiECON Chennai conference and an Opportunity to network with VCs, Investors and Entrepreneurs. The winner of the student category will travel to Delhi for the All Asia finals in February 2012, which will be the level 2 of the challenge. The winner from level 2 will be guaranteed a place at the Rice University Business Plan Competition on April 12-14, 2012, the largest and richest intercollegiate business plan competition in the world, hosted at Rice University in Houston, Texas, which will be the final round (level 3) of the challenge. Speaking on the occasion, Fr. Christie, Director, LIBA, said We are glad to receive so many entries for the challenge and its a pleasure being a part of the challenge and amongst such young innovative entrepreneurs. This challenge is a great opportunity to tap an individuals entreprenial capability and I heartily congratulate the winners and wish them success. About LIBA: Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), established in 1979, is a premier management institute known for its academic excellence and valuebased education. It is the only private B-school in South India to consistently rank in the Top 10 of such institutes in India. LIBA provides management education to both fresh graduates seeking world-class management education and also to those who are already employed and want to enhance their managerial skills. In addition, it offers a doctoral program, one year executive PG Diploma, certicate programs, blended learning (E-Learning) and executive PG programs. The Post Graduate Diploma in Management (full-time) is being offered since 1995. Both the part-time and the full-time PGDM programs are approved by the AICTE and the full-time program is recognized by the AIU as equivalent to the MBA degree of Indian Universities. LIBA also has collaborations with several Universities overseas and seeks to imbibe a global mindset in its students.

About TiE Chennai: TiE Chennai is a part of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), a global non-profit organization that helps budding entrepreneurs by way of advice, guidance and assistance from successful and experienced entrepreneurs and professionals. Founded in Silicon Valley in 1992 by successful entrepreneurs and professionals with roots in the Indus region, today, TiE has 57 Chapters across 14 countries, spread across 5 continents. The TiE ecosystem comprises 13,000 members and over 2,500 charter members, who are the top entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, lawyers and management professionals in their chosen field. TiECONCHENNAI 2011 is the current edition of the chapters flagship annual event which is also the largest congregation of entrepreneurs in the state of Tamil Nadu. For more information visit: www.tiechennai.org For editorial enquiries contact: Uma / Swetha of PRHUB @ 98841 91914 / 97890 61981 or uma@prhub.com / swetha@prhub.com