Welcome to The Gigabit Challenge, a global business plan competition to find disruptive ideas that will turn the tech industry upside-down and change the world.

The Gigabit Challenge is focused on unique applications that are enabled by Google's first-in-the-nation 1 Gigabit Fiber network. It is a business plan competition looking for the brightest, hungriest and most passionate entrepreneur superstars who are looking to think big...with a gig.

Individuals, teams or businesses with an idea, a complete business plan, or an early-stage operating business are invited to enter for the chance to work on the first-in-the-nation Google Fiber network and a prize valued at $100,000. We hope that you will use the opportunity provided by the Google Fiber network to not only develop next-generation businesses, but to help establish an ecosystem that will cause innovation and disruptive technologies to surge throughout Kansas City and the world.

The Gigabit Challenge Advisory Board members are:

  • Erik Brynjolfsson -  Professor of Management, MIT & Director, MIT Center for Digital Business
  • Vint Cerf - Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist, Google
  • Robert Gunderson - Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Gunderson Dettmer
  • Harry Kellogg - Vice-Chairman, Silicon Valley Bank
  • Philip Korn - Relationship Manager and Managing Director, First Republic Bank
  • Dan'l Lewin - Corporate Vice President of Strategic and Emerging Business Development, Microsoft
  • Robert Marcusse - President & Chief Executive Officer, Kansas City Area Development Council
  • Scott Mize - Advisor to Think Big Partners and The Gigabit Challenge (Chairman)
  • Keith Molzer - President & CEO, Balance Innovations
  • Rex Northern - Executive Director, Cleantech Open
  • Mark Radcliffe - Partner, DLA Piper
  • Mario Rosati - Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati
  • Angela Tower - Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • Kenny Wilk - Member, Kansas Board of Regents

Ready, Set...Gigabit!

Coming up with the idea is the hard part. And for contestants participating in The Gigabit Challenge, that part is over. The worldwide business plan competition asked for executive summaries and business ideas last week. The ideas and submissions were plentiful. Over 110 entrepreneurs entered into The Gigabit Challenge with the hopes of winning the $100,000 startup prize and a chance to develop on the Google Fiber network.

And now, it's time for the full business plans to come in. The semi-finalists have just one week from today to submit business plans for their idea. What's the catch? We haven't announced semi-finalists yet! That means that entrepreneurs are encouraged to work on their business plans now regardless if they are a semi-finalist or not. Semi-finalists will be announced by December 6, 2011.

One week, participants! Get your startup brain fired up because it's time to think big...with a gig! Good luck to all participants.

The Gigabit Challenge to Announce Semi-Finalists December 6th

Due to the overwhelming amount of executive summaries received by The Gigabit Challenge last week, we have decided to add a few last-minute judges to the mix in order to help review and analyze the large volume of plans. As a result, the announcement for semi-finalists has been pushed back and will be made no later than December 6, 2011. Thank you for your patience!

The Gigabit Challenge Judging Panel Analyzes 113 Executive Summaries

When Think Big Partners sat down to discuss The Gigabit Challenge for the first time, we expected the competition to be big...but we didn't expect it to be this big.

Over 110 executive summaries and applications were submitted into The Gigabit Challenge, each one hoping to winning the $100,000 prize in cash and startup services. And although only one entrepreneur will emerge as the winner, all 113 business plans displayed creativity, dedication and passion. And isn't that what entrepreneurship is all about?

But wasn't just the number of applications that impressed us. More importantly, we were impressed with the caliber of submissions. From impressive high-tech ideas to healthcare industry revelations, The Gigabit Challenge has become a repository for unique and innovative Google Fiber ideas.

So what's next? Currently, The Gigabit Challenge judging panel has been issued all of the business plans that were submitted into the Challenge. For the next few days, the judges will rank each executive summary based on market opportunity, growth and impact, brevity and clarity and Google connection. A huge thanks for The Gigabit Challenge judges. This business plan competition could not be possible without you!

Stay tuned for more announcements on The Gigabit Challenge. Semi-finalists will be announced during the week of November 28th.

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