The FINANCIAL -- As Big Data continues to make headlines in the business world, perhaps it's no surprise that a duo hoping to capitalize on the trend took home top honors at the 2012 Texas Venture Labs Investment Competition finals Feb. 15. Class of 2012 Texas Executive MBA students Harish Jayakumar and Michael Garel's business plan for their company, eyeQ, beat out 15 other teams.

According to The Universityof Texas, the win earns them a spot in the Global VLIC, held May 2-5 on the UT campus.

VLIC simulates the process of raising venture capital. Judges function as an investment group seeking to reach consensus on the business venture they would most likely fund. The judges base their decision on the quality of the idea, the strength of the management team, and the clarity and persuasiveness of the written plan and oral presentation.

Judges for the finals were Texas VLIC alumni who have gone on to pursue their ventures after graduation: Jeff Harbach, Central Texas Angel Network; Hassan Johnson, ThaTrunk; Sangram Kadam, Ordoro; Aaron Lyons, Urban Dish; Jay Manickam, uShip; Brett Newswanger, Xeris Pharmaceuticals; and Robert Reeves, Austin Technology Incubator.

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