Business ideas contest voting

Co-owner of the Charleston RiverDogs baseball team and their "Director of Fun," comedian Bill Murray, and RiverDogs President Mike Veeck will pick the wildcard category winner in the New Ideas for a New Carolina statewide business ideas contest.

Residents of South Carolina can vote for their favorite wildcard business idea through Dec. 29 at www.newideassc.com. Out of the top five chosen, celebrity judges will pick the winner which will be announced at the awards ceremony Feb. 11 at the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit in Charleston. Last year's winner was Julie McWerther who created the Azula, a mat that keeps women's swimsuits from snagging when sitting on the edge of the pool.

The winner of the wildcard category will receive $2,500, tickets to the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit and a scholarship to a FastTrac entrepreneurial business training course. They will also be eligible for the grand prize of $5,000 seed money for their business idea and a dream team of mentors to help cultivate their idea.

http://charleston.net/news/2008/dec/24/washbriefs66026/