S3 Ventures Increases its Sponsorship of the Rice Business Plan Competition

AUSTIN, Texas (January 30, 2008) – S3 Ventures announced today that it will sponsor the semi-final round of the Rice University Business Plan Competition (RBPC).  Along with the sponsorship of the semi-final round, Brian R. Smith, Managing Director of S3 Ventures, and Stephen A. Banks, Venture Partner with S3 Ventures, will serve as judges for the competition.

The RBPC continues to be one of the richest guaranteed prize money intercollegiate business plan competitions in the world.  The three-day event is intended to simulate the real-world process of entrepreneurs soliciting start-up funds from early-stage investors and venture capital firms.  The Competition is hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship and Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University.  Thirty-six teams from top MBA programs will be selected to compete at Rice University, in Houston Texas, for $675,000 in prizes.

S3’s involvement in the RBPC dates back to 2000, in which Stephen J. Banks served as a judge.  “We are very excited to increase our involvement in this competition,” Smith said.  “The Rice Business Plan Competition has grown to be one of the largest and most recognized competitions of its kind, and we are happy to have helped it along in that process.”

About the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship (Rice Alliance) is Rice University's flagship initiative devoted to the support of technology entrepreneurship. The Rice Alliance is a collaboration among the Brown School of Engineering, the Jones Graduate School of Management, and the Weiss School of Natural Science.

Since its inception in late-1999, the Rice Alliance has assisted in the launch over 210 new technology companies, which have raised more than $350 million in early stage funding. The mission of the Rice Alliance is to support the creation of technology-based companies and the commercialization of new technologies. The Rice Alliance provides entrepreneurs with a collaborative network and forum for support, education, and exchange of ideas. It offers entrepreneurs access to the human and financial capital needed for success.

About S3 Ventures

S3 Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in companies which address large market opportunities in the information technology and medical device sectors.  We invest primarily around the Southwest with a focus on Texas.  Our offices are located in Austin and Houston.  S3’s team is a group of seasoned investors and successful entrepreneurs who have repeatedly built companies into great returns for investors.  At S3 today, we help talented entrepreneurs take their technology and market knowledge and form valuable businesses in a methodical fashion.  For more information about S3, visit http://www.s3vc.com/.