Where did the idea come from?

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (c-e-o.org) chapter at BYU (ceo.byu.edu) has run a BYU-only event called the Student Entrepreneur of the Year Competition for many years, which recognizes outstanding achievements by student entrepreneurs. John Richards, a BYU professor and angel investor, thought of the idea to expand the competition beyond BYU because of the success and impact it has on the entrepreneurial community. Josh James, CEO of Omniture Inc., served as President of the CEO club while he was a student at BYU. Omniture Inc. has been a long supporter of the CEO club and entrepreneurship in the state of Utah and agreed to be the cornerstone sponsor for this year’s event.