Entrepreneurs will compete for $150,000 in prizes in this year’s Rhode Island Business Plan Competition, one of the richest in the state.

The organizers will host a kickoff meeting Oct. 3 to introduce and explain the 2008 competition—and help prospective applicants prepare.

Ten business leaders are participating as judges.They include:

• Sixcia Devine, Providence metro regional director, Rhode Island Small Business Development Center
• Ann-Marie Harrington, president, Embolden Design Inc.
• Garrett B. Hunter, president, Business Development Company of Rhode Island
• Charles Kingdon, associate vice president, technology partnerships, Brown University