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If venture financing isn’t right for your company or if you want to grease the venture fundraising wheels a bit, you might consider entering business plan competitions. These contests provide an alternative form of marketing and, for the winners, financing that has helped founders bootstrap their businesses and win the attention of investors.

Most of these competitions are judged by respected investors or service providers, each of whom represents a potential source of financing and/or a connection to such sources. In addition, some competitions have an audience (real or virtual) as well as judges; audience members can represent additional financing sources as well as potential customers, partners or employees. And, of course, there is the prize money, although the amount thereof varies substantially by competition.

Of course, you need to be comfortable sharing your business idea with the world in order to participate in most competitions. If you sharing your business idea doesn’t scare you, entering business plan competitions may be a great way to raise some extra cash and accelerate your fundraising process.