Merrill Mason is Judge for Carolina Challenge

Merrill Mason, Smith Anderson Partner, will join an elite panel of judges for the upcoming Carolina Challenge.

The Carolina Challenge is a student-led business plan competition designed to promote entrepreneurship at UNC-Chapel Hill, including the emerging area of social entrepreneurship, among faculty, staff and students from all schools and departments.

Each Challenge team includes at least one UNC student, faculty or staff member. Activities span the academic year, beginning in the fall with recruitment and team-formation activities to attract the best ideas and demonstrate the value of participating in and winning the competition.

Emphasis is placed on forming multi-disciplinary teams that have the breadth and depth of skills and knowledge to implement the venture idea. Once teams officially enter the competition in December, they gain access to a wide range of resources to help them learn how to turn their ideas into viable business plans.

Finalists compete for $50,000 in prize money at the final round of competition in April each year by presenting their plans to a panel of judges made up of successful entrepreneurs and business people as well as community and university leaders.