DAYTON — Peggy Rohr is a two-time breast cancer survivor who drew on her own experience to create the Comfort Care Bra, which aids healing and comfort for women undergoing radiation treatment.

“I just got out my craft supplies and I made something that would make everything stand away from my skin and allow the air to get through,” said Rohr, a mother and grandmother from Centerville.

A team of University of Dayton engineering students now is developing a prototype of the bra, one of five finalists competing for a share of $50,000 in prize money in UD’s 2009-10 Business Plan Competition.

The contest is open to anyone in the Miami Valley.

“You get to work with the UD students and professors, who give you a lot of input and support,” said Rohr, who has no previous ties to UD. “It’s been a very wonderful experience.”

This year’s finalists all present some benefit to society beyond creating jobs and meeting customers’ needs, said Jay Janney, Berry Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship and coordinator of the competition.

“The idea of doing well by doing good really stands out with this year’s group,” Janney said.

The finalists also include:

• Babble Basics, a customizable educational tool for children with developmental disabilities.

• BrainRack, a “crowd-sourcing” software to help companies find innovative solutions to their needs.

• PC Power Management Solutions, an environmentally “green” software that allows companies to manage computer energy use.

• Commuter Advertising, which creates audio ads for public buses targeted to locations through GPS technology and shares revenues with transit systems.

The teams will present their business plans Saturday, March 27, to a panel of judges that includes area entrepreneurs and investors. The winner, announced April 8, will receive $20,000.

The prize money comes from UD and external donors, said Dean McFarlin, chair of UD’s management and marketing department. Finalists typically use the funds to launch their business on a modest level, or to develop products or prototypes, McFarlin said.

UD had a record 82 entries for the competition, now in its fourth year, McFarlin said.

“Typically the top three have either launched or continue to pursue the technology or the development of their products,” McFarlin said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.