University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
Announces Winners in Beijing

Video Highlights

Smith School Senior Associate Dean G. "Anand" Ananalingam delivers the competition's welcome address and opening remarks.

The $25,000 grand prize winning team ZaraCom Technologies accepts their award.

Beijing, China - September 10, 2007 - The University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, a leading provider of Executive MBA programs in China, today announced the final winners of the Smith School's third annual China Business Plan Competition. The announcement of the three winning teams is the culmination of the year-long competition, which began with more than 200 entries. G. Anandalingam, senior associate dean of the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business named the winners at an awards ceremony at the TsingHua Innovation Plaza in Beijing. The winners are:

• US$25,000 grand prize winner - ZaraCom Technologies Inc.
• US$15,000 second prize winner - Nantronics
• US$10,000 third prize winner - XBRL-enabled Business Reporting for China Market

"Business leaders today need the ability to adapt quickly to changing market forces, and to constantly innovate and improvise and the winning teams announced today exhibit these entrepreneurial traits," said Anandalingam. "We are pleased to support the development of world-class business ideas in China and advance the development of China's future business leaders through the Smith School's annual China Business Plan Competition. I offer my congratulations to this year's winners and participants."

The winners were selected from five finalist teams which were invited to compete in the final round of the competition, which the Smith School holds each year as part of its commitment to the growth of world-class business ideas and innovation in China. Entrepreneurship, globalization and the integration of business and technology are key areas of focus for the Smith School.

Competition judge Lucy Zhang, Asia marketing director for NYMEX, asks competitors a question during the Q&A.

Judges deliver comments during the feedback session.

"With China's rapid rise up the G7 list of nations, and attention growing towards the next phase of expansion from within this economic heavyweight, the emergence of a talented group of entrepreneurs is well timed. Their contribution to China's economic growth is already evident, and this competition is very valuable in nurturing yet more entrepreneurship," said Chris Ryan, CEO of ING Investment Management Asia/Pacific, and a long-term supporter of the business plan competition.

"This competition gives entrepreneurs in China a unique opportunity to develop their business ideas and get valuable feedback from venture capitalists and business leaders," said Lucy Zhang, director of Asia marketing for the New York Mercantile Exchange and a judge in this year's event. "It helps to foster and develop the entrepreneurial skills needed to succeed in China's rapidly growing economy."

The Smith School's third annual China Business Plan Competition is supported by Zhongguancun Science Park. Sponsors for the competition include: CCTV-Win in China, the State of Maryland's Department of Business and Economic Development, the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), ING Investment Management Asia/Pacific, Opus8, Wang Jing Science Park, Sinoway Investment Corporation, Emerging Technology Partners, LLC, Zero2IPO, China Growth Capital, the China Venture Capital Association, PEMarket, Microsoft China Co., Ltd., QQ.com, The Wall Street Journal Chinese Online Edition, Discovering Value, China Entrepreneur and BusinessWeek/China.

The Smith School in China
The Smith School is partnered with the University of International Business and Economics to deliver its leading executive degree and non-degree programs in China. The school is helping China meet a critical need for MBA graduates and world-class business leadership by delivering its Executive MBA programs in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as through its custom Executive programs. For more information about the Smith School's China programs, visit: http://www.rhsmith-umd.cn

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 13 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, executive MS, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations on four continents ĄŞ North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. More information about the Robert H. Smith School of Business can be found at www.rhsmith.umd.edu.