The Cupid’s Cup business competition this year expanded beyond the university to award cash prizes to the most promising entrepreneurs in the country. But the April 5 competition, sponsored by Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank ’96 and hosted by Smith’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship, found its top winner close to home.

Imagine standing in front of group of people telling them about your awesome new idea. An idea for a business. But it’s not just a business idea. It’s an innovative new product. It’s a much-needed service. It’s your blood, sweat and tears. It’s all you’ve been working on for months on end. It’s your future. It’s your dream. Now imagine this group is an audience. A big audience. An audience made up of your friends, family, peers, professors and complete strangers.

College Park, Md. – April 8, 2013 – The University of Maryland’s Earth Starter, maker of the Nourishmat modular garden kit, took home $52,500 as the top winner of the eighth annual Cupid’s Cup. The first year as a national business competition, the event was held April 5 at UMD’s College Park campus, hosted by the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Cupid’s Cup is sponsored by alumnus Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour, the Baltimore-based leader in performance apparel, footwear and accessories.

The University of Maryland kicks off its 2013 “30 Days of EnTERPreneurship” this week on Friday, April 5 with the 8th annual Cupid’s Cup business competition, hosted by the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

For business, entrepreneurship and higher education reporters, editors and producersContact: Greg Muraski, 301-405-5283, gmuraski@rhsmith.umd.edu  Under Armour’s Kevin Plank Serves as Sponsor and Judge

College Park, Md. – February 22, 2013 – Six startups advanced to compete in the April 5, 2013 final round of Cupid’s Cup, the national business competition held by the Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. The annual competition is sponsored by Kevin Plank, CEO and founder of Under Armour.

College Park, Md. – February 14, 2013 –The University of Maryland’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship today narrowed the field of competitors to 12 of the country’s top student entrepreneurs in its annual Cupid’s Cup Business Competition, sponsored by Kevin Plank, CEO and founder of Under Armour. They will travel to Under Armour’s headquarters in Baltimore, Md. on Feb.

College Park, Md. – October 8, 2012 – University of Maryland’s Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship is expanding its annual Cupid’s Cup Business Competition to find the country’s top student entrepreneurs. Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour, partnered with the Dingman Center eight years ago to launch Cupid’s Cup and is now taking the competition to a national stage for the first time.

University of Maryland Cupid’s Cup Business Competition Opens to Student Entrepreneurs NationwideUnder Armour’s Kevin Plank Sponsors Major Expansion of Annual Event