Judging set in business plan contest

Technology that provides instantaneous broadcast censorship of risque material, wind turbines that capture the gusts created by passing vehicles and a solar-powered water purification system will be among the concepts spotlighted this week in the annual business-plan competition of Nevada's collegians.

Winners in the Donald W. Reynolds Governor's Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition will be named at a gala Wednesday that follows judging and tough questions from experienced executives on Tuesday.

Cash prizes of $20,000 for first place, $10,000 for second place and $5,000 for third place will be awarded in undergraduate as well as graduate categories. An additional $5,000 Lt. Governor's Award will go to the business plan that best employs clean or renewable energy technology.

The graduate-student finalists from northern Nevada schools include:

* Rype Censor Technologies from the University of Nevada, Reno. The team proposes use of computer vision technology to screen offensive images from live television or video.

* SENSE.tech from UNR. The team is composed of business, chemical engineering and medical students.

Undergraduate finalists from northern Nevada colleges and universities include:

* Bumblebee Blooms, Truckee Meadows Community College team that's developed a business plan for a floral retailer.

* Completely Off-Grid, a UNR team that's developed a package for off-the-grid homeowners.

* Flats Energy, a Sierra Nevada College team with a plan to use roadside winds, along with natural wind, to generate electricity.

* Green Ethos Inc., a TMCC team proposing solar-power water purification.

* Post-Com Energy, a Sierra Nevada College team with a plan to convert household waste into natural gas.

Lt. Governor's Award finalists include Completely Off-Grid and Post-Com Energy. Other finalists for the green-technology award include:

* Alternative Bioprocess Solutions, a UNR proposal to use pulsed electric fields as an alternative to traditional heat pasteurization.

* GD Fuels, a UNR plan for biodiesel production.

* Home Energies Inc., a UNR plan for a self-contained septic system that produces energy.

* Lady Luck Brewery, a plan from UNR chemical engineering and business students.

The finalists were selected from a field of 73 entrants.

For registration information for Wednesday's awards gala, go to www.NCETgovcup.org.