Best Entrepreneurs under 25

BusinessWeek Online is conducting a search for the country's (USA) most talented entrepreneurs under 25. To submit your nomination click here

Some of the best business ideas are hatched over cold pizza in college dorm rooms. If you need proof, look no further than the Dell computer likely sitting on your desk. Considered a generation ago to be the career path for those without one, the term "entrepreneur" has gradually shed its stigma and become the rock star of the business world -- a ticket to riches, independence, and sometimes, celebrity.

With the proliferation of related classes and competitions on campuses across the nation, not to mention an array of publications like SmallBiz, budding business owners have more resources than ever. The result has been savvier startups coming from increasingly younger founders.

With this in mind, BusinessWeek Online is embarking on a nationwide search for the best entrepreneurs under 25. We're looking for young people running their own companies -- real, fully operational companies. And that's about the only criteria.

Business plans are important, of course, but we're really out to find young business leaders who have taken the proverbial plunge and already put those plans into action. And by no means do they have to come from the friendly confines of academia.