PHILADELPHIA, PA, February 18, 2005 -- iCrederity has been named a semi-finalist in the the Wharton Business Plan Competition (WBPC). The WBPC is among the leading global university-run business plan competitions, and reaching semi-finalist status means that iCrederity's model has met with favorable validation by a team of leading venture capitalists, professors and business leaders. iCrederity is an idea-stage startup developing an unconventional suite of credential verification services.

The WBPC is a comprehensive, 7-month platform to help entrepreneurs and their teams launch their new business ideas. The WBPC is structured in three phases to help teams develop their plans in both a collaborative and competitive environment.

iCrederity participated in WBPC's entrepreneurship workshops which feature entrepreneurship experts including Wharton entrepreneurship professors and Wharton graduates who have started their own businesses. The WBPC provides a network for brainstorming, feedback, and future business opportunities, which iCrederity will leverage for future business development. Participating teams develop their ideas with guidance from top business leaders who serve as mentors and judges.

iCrederity co-founder Rakesh Antala commented, "When it comes to trust and credibility, there's a big problem out there and we're going to fix it. 4 out of 10 IT professionals list false certifications on their resumes, for example. Unfortunately, the problem's not limited to the IT world or even to the professional world, but affects all interactions. We realize we're going up against big odds, but that's what makes it a satisfying problem to attack."