The final week of a competition is always fun to watch as the voting ramps up. In a few days, the $30,000 Babson Innovation Competition on Vator will draw to a close. Yes, that's right. The organizers upped the prize by another $10,000.
The winner will receive $20,000 in cash and $10,000 in services. The top three finalists will present at Babson College on October 2, 2008, during the Babson Forum Entrepreneurship & Innovation. The judges will be taking into account the number of votes on the Vator platform.
It's far from over. I've seen newcomers enter Vator competitions in the final days and take the lead by attracting a couple hundred votes in no time.
Here are the top five, based on votes as of September 11.
Leading the pack with 95 votes is Environmentally Conscious Organization. This company takes an environmental approach to food packaging and has a patent on its first product, "Green Box," a new pizza box made from 100% recycled material.
Ball & Buck has 90 votes. 
This startup creates organic, high-quality clothing for the outdoor enthusiast. Note to B&B: Put up a video pitch on Vator, so we can check out the clothes and the people behind the idea!
IMTopics has 79 votes. The NY-based startup appears to be at the conceptual stage. Its goal is to enable people to share topics that are important to them. This is a great idea. Of course, it's quite a crowded space. Other startups, like FriendFeed and a new site with a lot of traction, called Socialmedian, are doing a great job enabling people to share stuff across the Web.
GeneWeave Biosciences has 76 votes. The company says it's "creating a 10-minute disposable MRSA test that
requires no lab, technical training, or even electricity."
GiftVentures has 45 votes. The Henderson, Nevada-based startup is reinventing gift giving. Giftventure is a personal treasure hunt. A child receives personal letters from a fantasy character that lead to a gift you hide. When the gift is discovered, it is no longer just a present; it is a well-deserved reward at the end of an exciting and educational journey!
Remember, it's not over, until it's over!
These are just the top five based on votes. In a few days, it may be all different.
Good luck to all the participants! It's not too late to enter. And, for those just watching, don't forget to cast your votes.
