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Business Plan Competition

It is never too late to start a business.  Over 50% of business graduates think of starting a business.  Are you one of them?  Do you have a great business idea? Do you want to take your idea to the next level? Do you want to get great feedback and mentoring on your business idea and win some prize along the way?  If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you are the right candidate to participate in the UD business plan competition. 

The University of Dallas Business plan competition encourages students and alums to start an entrepreneurial venture.   By participating in the business plan competition participants will learn how to 

• Identify untapped markets to serve
• Perform market research using both primary and secondary analysis
• Conduct feasibility analysis
• Develop a plan that is funding ready

Selected finalists will not only have an opportunity to win cash awards but more importantly get tremendous mentoring from current entrepreneurs.

Contact  udbusinessplan @udallas.edu

The top 3 winners will receive cash prizes of:

1st place = 4,500

2nd place = 2,500

3rd place = 1,500

In addition, all finalists will receive $500.

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2024 rice business plan competition.

April 4-6, 2024 | Houston, Texas

With access to mentors, real-world experience and investment opportunities, the Rice Business Plan Competition helps graduate student founders from any university stay on target and realize their potential. 

Grand Prize Winner: Protein Pints, Michigan State University 

Congratulations to all of the winners. Check out the results here .

Powering Founders and Shaping the Future at the 2024 Rice Business Plan Competition

Hosted and organized by the  Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship , which is Rice University's internationally-recognized initiative devoted to the support of entrepreneurship, and Rice Business, the Rice Business Plan Competition offers an educational program mirroring real-world experience through this multi-day event for student startups from across the world.

Beyond just the world-renowned prizes, student startups spend time interacting with our judges and prize sponsors—providing valuable access and experience with both early-stage and later-stage investors.

April 4-6, 2024 | Houston, Texas 

The Rice Business Plan Competition exists so that student founders pushing to create new possibilities in technology, energy, healthcare and more can surround themselves with a powerful network; learn what it takes to secure investor funding; hone your pitch; and compete for big money to make the future you’re building possible. After a competitive application season, 42 startups have risen to the top and will be invited to compete on a global stage for more than $1M in prizes at the 2024 RBPC .

FOLLOW ALONG WITH #RBPC24

Previous competitions.

For 21 years the Rice Business Plan Competition has provided student startups with mentorship, guidance and capital to help support them on their entrepreneurial journey! In 2020, the competition went virtual for the first time. Check out a few of our previous competitions' content, including elevator pitch videos, final pitches, photos and LivePlans.

• 2023 Competition - On The Edge of the Future
• 2022 Competition - Grow Your Startup. Build the Future.
• 2021 Competition - Big Ideas. Brilliant Startups.
• 2020 Competition - First Virtual Edition
• 2019 Competition - The Art of Entrepreneurship

The 20 Best Business Plan Competitions to Get Funding

Business plan competitions can provide valuable feedback on your business idea or startup business plan template , in addition to providing an opportunity for funding for your business. This article will discuss what business planning competitions are, how to find them, and list the 20 most important business planning competitions.

On This Page:

What is a Business Plan Competition?

How do i find business plan competitions, 20 popular business plan competitions, tips for winning business plan competitions, other helpful business plan articles & templates.

A business plan competition is a contest between startup, early-stage, and/or growing businesses. The goal of the business plan competition is for participants to develop and submit an original idea or complete their existing business plan based on specific guidelines provided by the organization running the contest.

Companies are judged according to set criteria including creativity, feasibility, execution, and the quality of your business plan.

A quick Google search will lead you to several websites that list business planning competitions. 

Each site has a different way of organizing the business planning competitions it lists, so you’ll need to spend some time looking through each website to find opportunities that are relevant for your type of business or industry.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Below we’ve highlighted 20 of these popular competitions, the requirements and how to find additional information. The following list is not exhaustive; however, these popular competitions are great places to start if you’re looking for a business competition.

Rice Business Plan Competition

The Rice University Business Plan Competition is designed to help collegiate entrepreneurs by offering a real-world platform on which to present their businesses to investors, receive coaching, network with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, fine-tune their entrepreneurship plan, and learn what it takes to launch a successful business.

Who is Eligible?

Initial eligibility requirements include teams and/or entrepreneurs that:

• are student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed
• include at least two current student founders or management team members, and at least one is a current graduate degree-seeking student
• are from a college or university anywhere in the world
• have not raised more than $250,000 in equity capital
• have not generated revenue of more than $100,000 in any 12-month period
• are seeking funding or capital
• have a potentially viable investment opportunity

You can find additional  eligibility information on their website.

Where is the Competition Held?

The Rice Business Plan Competition is hosted in Houston, TX at Rice University, the Jones Graduate School of Business.

What Can You Win?

In 2021, $1.6 Million in investment, cash prizes, and in-kind prizes was awarded to the teams competing.

This two-part milestone grant funding program and pitch competition is designed to assist students with measurable goals in launching their enterprises.

Teams must be made up of at least one student from an institution of higher education in Utah and fulfill all of the following requirements:

• The founding student must be registered for a minimum of nine (9) credit hours during the semester they are participating. The credit hours must be taken as a matriculated, admitted, and degree-seeking student.
• A representative from your team must engage in each stage of Get Seeded (application process, pre-pitch, and final pitch)
• There are no restrictions regarding other team members; however, we suggest building a balanced team with a strong combination of finance, marketing, engineering, and technology skills.
• The funds awarded must be used to advance the idea.

The business plan competition will be hosted in Salt Lake City, UT at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah.

There are two grants opportunities:

• Microgrant up to $500
• Seed Grant for $501 – $1,500

Global Student Entrepreneur Awards

The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards is a worldwide business plan competition for students from all majors. The GSEA aims to empower talented young people from around the world, inspire them to create and shape business ventures, encourage entrepreneurship in higher education, and support the next generation of global leaders.

• You must be enrolled for the current academic year in a university/college as an undergraduate or graduate student at the time of application. Full-time enrollment is not required; part-time enrollment is acceptable.
• You must be the owner, founder, or controlling shareholder of your student business. Each company can be represented by only one owner/co-founder – studentpreneur.
• Your student business must have been in operation for at least six consecutive months prior to the application.
• Your business must have generated US $500 or received US $1000 in investments at the time of application.
• You should not have been one of the final round competitors from any previous year’s competition.
• The age cap for participation is 30 years of age.

You can find additional   eligibility information on their website.

Regional competitions are held in various locations worldwide over several months throughout the school year. The top four teams then compete for cash prizes during finals week at the Goldman Sachs headquarters in New York City.

At the Global Finals, students compete for a total prize package of $50,000 in cash and first place receives $25,000. All travel and lodging expenses are also covered. Second place gets US $10,000, while third place earns US $5,000. Additional prizes are handed out at the Global Finals for Social Impact, Innovation, and Lessons from the Edge.

Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

The collegiate entrepreneurs organization business plan competition.

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Business Plan Competition (COEBPC) exists to help early-stage entrepreneurs develop their business skills, build entrepreneurial networks, and learn more about how they can transform ideas into reality. It also offers cash prizes to reward entrepreneurship, provide an opportunity for recognition of top student entrepreneurs around the world, and provide unique opportunities for networking.

To compete, you must:

• Be a currently enrolled student at an accredited institution
• Have a viable business concept or be the creator of an existing business that generates revenue.

If you are among the top three finalists of the business plan competition and successfully receive prize money, you will be required to submit a class schedule under your name for the current academic semester. Failure to do so will result in the forfeit of the prize money.

All competitions are held online. The finalist will receive a trip to the International Career Development Conference, where they have an opportunity to win additional prizes from CEO’s sponsors.

• First Place – $7,000
• Second Place – $5,000
• Third Place – $3,000
• People’s Choice Award – Collegiate Entrepreneur of the Year – $600

MIT 100k Business Plan Competition and Expo

The MIT 100K was created in 2010 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to foster entrepreneurship and innovation on campus and around the world. Consists of three distinct and increasingly intensive competitions throughout the school year: PITCH, ACCELERATE, and LAUNCH. 

• Submissions may be entered by individuals or teams.
• Each team may enter one idea.
• Each team must have at least one currently registered MIT student; if you are submitting as an individual, you must be a currently registered MIT student.
• Entries must be the original work of entrants.
• Teams must disclose any funding already received at the time of registration.

Hosted in Cambridge, MA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology beginning in October through May of each academic year.

Top finalists will have a chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges at a live event for the chance to win the $5,000 Grand Prize or the $2,000 Audience Choice Award.

20 Finalists are paired with industry-specific business professionals for mentorship and business planning and a $1,000 budget for marketing and/or business development expenses.

The 10 Top Finalists participate in the Showcase and compete for the $10,000 Audience Choice Award while the 3 Top Finalists automatically advance to LAUNCH semi-finals.

The grand prize winner receives a cash prize of $100,000 and the runner-up receives $25,000.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Business Plan Competition

The FAU business plan competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate student entrepreneurs. The competition covers topics in the areas of information technology, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, operations management, etc.

All undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to participate.

The business plan competition will be held at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.

• First prize: $5,000 cash
• Second prize: $500 cash

Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Business Plan Competition

The Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Business Plan Competition is designed to offer an opportunity to develop your business plan with the guidance of industry experts. It provides the opportunity for you to compete against fellow entrepreneurs and explore big ideas.

• Participants must be the legal age to enter into contracts in the country of residence.
• Participants may not be employed by an organization other than their own company or business that they are launching for this competition.
• The plan should be for a new business, not an acquisition of another company.

The Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Business Plan Competition is held in the USA.

There is a cash prize for first, second, and third place. There is also a potential for a business incubator opportunity, which would provide facilities and assistance to the winners of the competition.

Washington State University Business Plan Competition

The Washington State University Business Plan Competition has been serving students since 1979. The competition is a great opportunity for someone who is looking to get their business off the ground by gaining invaluable knowledge of running a successful business. It offers a wide range of topics and competition styles.

• Any college undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree-seeking student at Washington State University
• The company must be an early-stage venture with less than $250,000 in annual gross sales revenue.

The Washington State University Business Plan Competition is held in the Associated Students Inc. Building on the Washington State University campus which is located in Pullman, Washington.

There are a wide variety of prizes that could be won at the Washington State University Business Plan Competition. This is because the business plan competition has been serving students for over 30 years and as such, they have offered more than one type of competition. The common prize though is $1,000 which is awarded to the winner of each class. There are also awards for those who come in second place, third place, etc.

Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition

The Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition is one of the most well-known competitions in the country. They have partnered with many prestigious institutions to provide funding, mentorship, and expertise for the competition.

Education ventures with innovative solutions to educational inequity from around the world are encouraged to apply, especially those ventures founded by and serving individuals from marginalized and historically underrepresented communities.

We encourage applicants working in every conceivable educational setting–from early childhood through corporate and adult training. We also welcome both nonprofit and for-profit submissions.

The competition is held at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

All finalists receive $1,000 in cash and $5,000 in Amazon Web Services promotional credits.

Next Founders Business Plan Competition

Next Founders is a competition geared towards innovative startups with a social impact, looking to transform society by addressing key global human needs. The competition inspires and identifies energetic, optimistic entrepreneurs who are committed to achieving their vision.

Next Founders is for Canadian business owners of scalable, high-growth ventures.

Next Founders is held at the University of Toronto.

You could win up to $25,000 CAD in cash funding for your new business.

Hatch Pitch Competition

The Hatch Pitch competition is one of the most prestigious business competitions in the US. The winners of the Hatch Pitch Competition are given access to mentorship courses, discounted office space with all amenities included, incubators for startups, tailored education programs, financial counseling & more.

The competition is for companies with a business idea.

• The company’s product/service must have launched within the past 2 years, or be launched within 6 months after the Hatch Pitch event.
• Founders must retain some portion of ownership in the company.
• Received less than $5 million in funding from 3rd party investors.
• The presenter must actively participate in Hatch Pitch coaching.

The Hatch Pitch Competition is located at the Entrepreneur Space in Dallas.

The grand prize for this business plan competition is access to resources like incubators and mentorships that could prove invaluable in bringing your startup company to the next level.

TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield

The Startup Battlefield is a business plan competition that is sponsored by TechCrunch.  It awards the winner $50,000. There are two different rounds to this competition:

• First Round – 15 companies from all of the applicants that submitted their business plans for this round.
• Second Round – Two finalist companies compete against each other at TechCrunch Disrupt NY’s main stage.

At the time of the application process, companies must have a functional prototype to demo to the selection committee. In selecting final contestants, we will give preference to companies that launch some part of their product or business for the first time to the public and press through our competition. Companies that are in closed beta, private beta, limited release or generally have been flying under the radar are eligible. Hardware companies can have completed crowdfunding but those funds should have been directed to an earlier product prototype. Existing companies launching new feature sets do not qualify.

TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield is held at different locations.

The Startup Battlefield rewards the winner with $50,000. In addition, the two runner-ups get a prize of $5,000 each.

New Venture Challenge

New Venture Challenge is a competition hosted by the University of Chicago. There are 3 main categories that will be judged:

• Innovative Concept – Arguably the most important category, this focuses on uniqueness, originality, and suitability.
• Market Fit/Business Model – Are you solving an actual problem for your target market? Does your project have the potential for profit?
• Presentation – Did you make a compelling, impactful presentation? Did you clearly communicate your goals and vision to potential investors?

You can find  eligibility information on their website.

The New Venture Challenge competition is held in Chicago, IL.

Finalists are awarded:

• First Place: $50,000 equity investment and access to industry mentors and other resources.
• Second place: $25,000 equity investment and access to industry mentors and other resources.
• Third place: $15,000 equity investment and access to industry mentors and other resources.

New Venture Championship

The New Venture Championship is hosted by the University of Oregon and has been since 1987. The championship brings new ventures and innovative business ideas to life and the competition offers plan writing as a service to those who need it.

The University of Oregon New Venture Championship is open to university student teams with 2-5 members that have at least one graduate student involved with their venture. Students should be enrolled in a degree program or have finished their studies in the current academic year.

The New Venture Championship hosted by the University of Oregon is held in Eugene, Oregon.

Every business plan has a chance of winning a cash prize from $3,000 to $25,000 and additional benefits like plan coaching and office space rental.

Climatech & Energy Prize @ MIT

The Climatech & Energy Prize @ MIT is a competition that focuses on companies that are involved in the area of energy, environment, and climate change.

• Participants must be a team of two or more people.
• At least 50% of formal team members identified in the competition submission documentation must be enrolled as half-time or full-time college or university students.

The Climatech & Energy Prize @ MIT is held in Cambridge, MA.

The grand prize winner receives $100,000 and other winners may receive other monetary prizes.

Baylor Business New Venture Competition

This competition has been offered by Baylor for the last 20 years. It is designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs refine business ideas, and also gain valuable insights from judges and other entrepreneurs.

Must be a current undergraduate student at Baylor University or McLennan Community College.

The Baylor Business New Venture competition will be held at the Baylor University, Waco, TX.

The grand prize winner will receive $6,000. There are also other prizes given out to the other finalists in each category which are worth $1,500 – $2,000.

13th IOT/WT Innovation World Cup

The 13th IOT/WT Innovation World Cup was organized by the 13th IOT/WT Innovation World Cup Association. It was organized to provide a platform for innovators from all over the world to showcase their innovative ideas and projects. The competition aimed at drawing the attention of investors, venture capitalists, and potential business partners to meet with representatives from different companies and organizations in order to foster innovation.

The revolutionary Internet of Things and Wearable Technologies solutions from developers, innovative startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and researchers across the world are invited to participate. Eight different categories are available: Industrial, City, Home, Agriculture, Sports, Lifestyle, and Transport.

Only those submissions that have a functional prototype/proof of concept will advance in the competition, mere ideas will not be considered. 

The competition is held in Cleveland, Ohio also an important center for innovation and cutting-edge technology.

Win prizes worth over $500,000, connect with leading tech companies, speed up your development with advice from tech experts, join international conferences as a speaker or exhibitor, and become part of the worldwide IoT/WT Innovation World Cup® network. 

The U.Pitch is a competition that gives you a chance to share your idea and for the community of budding entrepreneurs, startup founders, CEOs, and venture capitalists to invest in your enterprise. It also provides mentoring by experts in the field.

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program
• Applicants may compete with either an idea OR business currently in operation
• Applicants must be 30 years of age or under

The U.Pitch is held in San Francisco, California.

Enter to win a part of the $10,000 prize pool.

At the core of CodeLaunch is an annual seed accelerator competition between individuals and groups who have software technology startup ideas.

If your startup has raised money, your product is stable, you have customers, and revenue, you are probably not a fit for CodeLaunch.

CodeLaunch is based in St. Louis, Missouri. 

The “winner” may be eligible for more seed capital and business services from some additional vendors.

New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition

The New York StartUP! is a competition sponsored by the New York Public Library to help entrepreneurs from around the world to develop their business ideas.

• You must live in Manhattan, The Bronx, or Staten Island
• Your business must be in Manhattan, The Bronx, or Staten Island
• All companies must have a big idea or business model in the startup phase and have earned less than $10,000

The New York StartUP! competition is held in New York, NY.

Two winners are chosen: 

•  Grand Prize – $15,000  
•  Runner-up – $7,500  

First, determine if the competition is worth your time and money to participate.

• What is the prize money?
• Who will be on the judging panel?
• Will there be any costs associated with entering and/or presenting at the competition (e.g., travel and lodging expenses)?

Once you’ve determined the worth of the competition, then shift to focusing on the details of the competition itself.

• What are the rules of the competition?
• Are there any disqualifying factors?
• How will you be judged during the different parts of the competition?

After conducting this research, it’s best to formulate an idea or product that appeals to the judges and is something they can really get behind. Make sure you thoroughly understand the rules and what is expected from your final product. Once you know what is expected from you, you’ll be able to refine and practice your pitch to help you move through the stages of the competition.

These competitions are a fantastic method to get new business owners thinking about business possibilities, writing business plans, and dominating the competition. These contests may assist you in gaining important feedback on your business concept or plan as well as potential monetary prizes to help your business get off the ground.  

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How to Win a Business Plan Competition

8 min. read

Updated May 10, 2024

Have you considered business plan competitions as part of your startup strategy? I’ve personally seen startups get more than a million dollars in investment at the annual Rice University Business Plan Competition, held every April. I’ve also seen startups raise tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars of grant money at competitions hosted by the University of Oregon and the University of Texas. And I’ve read about startups getting good money from outside universities, in competitions held by business development organizations and businesses. And this is now worldwide, not just in the U.S. 

As I write this, I just did a web search for business plan competitions, and came up with dozens of them coming up in 2022. I judged a University of Oregon business plan competition just last month. 

I’ve never entered a business plan competition, but I’ve been judging them since 1997. I’ve done multiple stints at several of the majors. And I’ve developed some pointers and tips to help you win your next business plan competition. 

• 1. Know the judging guidelines

As business plan competitions have grown and developed, most of them have fine-tuned the details of judging procedures and criteria. For example, many ask judges to choose which entrant is the best investment for outsiders. That’s different from which is the best business or which they would rather own or share in. The key point there is that criterion essentially dismisses good startups that don’t need outside investment to grow. 

I’ve seen startups successfully tailor their plans and pitches to aim at outside investment rather than self funding. That, in my opinion, is the right way to adjust to the specific criteria. 

You should also be aware of judging guidelines governing questions, comments, interruptions of pitches, plan and pitch length, and so forth. Some business plan competitions ask the judges to listen quietly to a pitch, without interrupting. Others encourage judges to interrupt at will, as they would in a real investment pitch. Startups have to know and plan accordingly. 

• 2. Research who you are pitching to

In most of the business plan competitions I’ve seen, judges are a collection of venture capitalists, angel investors, entrepreneurs, and local business leaders. That’s predictable. The organizers of these competitions ask local people to participate, as volunteers, as judges. So they look for people who know the general territory of startups, business plans, pitches, and investment. 

Different judges have different sets of expertise. I’ve seen attorneys, accountants, and medical doctors as judges, along with investors in general. Read their biographies before you finalize your pitch. Know what experience and background they have. This can help a lot as you deliver a pitch and field questions.

• 3. Refine your pitch deck and get feedback

Start with a good deck of slides . Understand what your slide deck is supposed to do: ideally, it’s a collection of useful and/or beautiful images that focus attention on what you are saying, add depth to what you are saying, and sets the structure to what you say. For example, as you discuss the problem your startup solves, you project a beautiful image that illustrates the problem you solve. You want your investors to focus on you and your words, not read words from your slides. Avoid the so-called “death by PowerPoint” meaning the boredom of a speaker reading slide bullet points to a captive audience.   

We have a lot of information for you, on this site, about doing your slide presentation for a business pitch. All of that applies to the pitch component of a business plan competition. That includes How to Create a Pitch Deck , 15 Tips for a Successful Pitch , T he 11 Slides Your Need for a Pitch Deck , and others. 

Practice makes perfect . Trite but true. In my experience, the best pitches are practiced a lot but not memorized. The slide images stand as placeholders to set the flow of topics. They provide visual emphasis. But the speakers use their own words and let it flow differently each time they do it. The best have been over the pitch a lot, with others listening and poking holes where they can. So they have a good guess on what questions might come up, and how they will respond to those questions when they do. You might look at this article on how to get feedback on your pitch . 

• 4. Develop a memorable hook

You have just a few seconds to make that important first impression. Call that a hook. You want judges’ attention from the very beginning. Maybe you tell a story of a real person suffering the problem you want to solve. Ideally, in that case, your first slide is a picture of that problem. Maybe you share the vision of how this will help the world. That can start with an image too. 

Hooks are hard to generalize, but it’s all about getting the judges to care. It’s most often about the problem a startup solves, the size of the need, the importance of the solution. But it might also be the ambitious goals, if you can make the judges care about that. Be creative. Put yourself in the place of an investor, sense business plan competition judges are usually thinking as investors. What makes this exciting to the investor? What’s the best thing to make them care from the beginning. 

• 5. Share any traction

Being able to show actual achieved traction is a huge advantage in a business plan competition. Most competitions invite startups at very early stages, often long before launch or even serious steps towards execution. The startup that already has traction is way ahead of the competition. 

What makes traction depends on your type of business. Maybe it’s proven research, subscribers, customers, distributors, letters of intent, users, and so forth. Generally, there’s nothing stronger than actual paying customers. 

• 6. Show realistic market potential and growth

Don’t ever think that in a business plan competition the biggest market wins. It’s so very much not that simple. Credibility and realism are critical. I’ve seen judges not choose a startup that was going to cure cancer, with a projected market of billions, because they just didn’t believe it. I’ve seen judges routinely reject unbelievable big numbers. 

Yes, of course, bigger is better, but only within that framework of credibility. The method and assumptions and transparency of a projection is very important. The best market projections build from the bottom up, with believable assumptions about drivers: stores, channels, web views, traffic, sales funnels. Numbers should start at the base drivers and build up to the bigger numbers. 

• 7. Prepare relatable stories

Stories are vital to business success and that includes in business plan competition. Your hook is a story. Your problem and solution are a story. How people find and buy that solution is another story. Business planning is in many ways telling stories first and then planning how to make them come true. The stories are vital to your success in a business plan competition. You hint at them in an elevator pitch, tell them in the business pitch, and show them and how they can come true in your business plan. 

• 8. Keep things short and straightforward

Business plan competition judges are busy people. They have a lot of distractions. Boredom is your enemy. Time is the scarcest resource. Keep your pitches moving. Once you lose their attention, it is very hard to get that back. Stay on point. Move it forward fast. 

In a pinch, use your slide deck to help. Click on the next slide. That should move you to the next topic. 

• 9. Prove you are uniquely qualified

Most business plan contest judges are investors and most investors agree that choosing a startup is often more about the jockey than the horse. I’ve often seen judges reject a good plan with a good product and market but an unconvincing team. Show why your team background and qualifications make you uniquely qualified. Usually that means track records, industry experience, related credentials, accomplishments, market knowledge, product knowledge, and commitment. Simply put: why you?  

• 10. Have your business plan prepared to share

Start with the obvious: Make sure you are aware of each business plan competition’s specific requirements for the plan itself. Most of them set down standards for how many pages. Some set just page count while others will distinguish between text pages and pages containing illustrations and/or financial projections. Many business plan contests also specify pagination and details for the executive summary. 

Pay special attention to the summaries. Many judges will read just the summaries well and skim the rest, and then screen and grade plans based mainly on the summary information. Make sure you show the highlights first, and well. What highlights? That depends on your unique plan. For some, technology is most important. For others, it’s the market, or the team experience. You have to know what best sets you apart, and put that where judges will see it. 

In a business plan competition, the quality of presentation in the plan — writing and formatting as well as content — is especially important. Be careful with text, diction, spelling, grammar, and formatting. Don’t let important information get lost in details. You are going to be graded on the quality of the document. 

• Get funding for your business

Finally, maybe as a conclusion, let’s remember that winning a business plan competition is one way to get funding for your business. Winnings can be very helpful. I’ve seen startups come up with hundreds of thousands of dollars and in a couple specific cases (at the Rice Business Plan Competition in Houston) more than a million dollars in angel investment by winning a business plan competition. And I’ve seen startups come up with tens of thousands of dollars as simple grants, no strings attached, as prizes for winning a business plan contest. 

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

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SU Credit Union Initiative Bags Top Prize at 2024 Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition

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Student-led credit union initiative aims to serve financial needs of SU and surrounding communities.

The Seattle University Credit Union Initiative (SUCUI) won the top prize at the 2024 Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition.  The non-profit financial cooperative is entirely run and operated by students. 

A post on SUCUI's LinkedIn page said, "We aim to not only provide tailored products and services to Seattle University and its surrounding communities, but also provide an elevated hands-on work experience for students." 

SUCUI was represented by Ana Giordano, '25 (Finance); Dora Becker, '26 (Management and Analytics); Emma Nguyen, '26 (Individualized Major; Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor), Ethan Sue, '24 (Computer Science); Jonathan Tran, '27 (Finance and Accounting); and Julian Ma, '25 (Finance). They were coached by Adjunct Professor and Mbanq Head of Credit Union Partnerships Cisco Malpartida Smith. 

The group took home the $20,000 grand prize from the competition. A donor has already committed an initial pledge of $250,000, a significant milestone in their goal to raise $1 million by the end of 2025.

The judges for this year's Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition were John J. Ostlund, Chief Technology Officer of MetaTechX, '03 MBA and '86 (Engineering); Lindsey McGrew, Executive Director and Founder of The Madrone School, '19 MBA; Dave Parker, CEO and Board Member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization; Peggy Smith, Chief Innovation Officer of National Corporate Housing; and Kathleen Baxley, CFO of Mastersfund.

The Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition is organized every year by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center .

Written by Alicia Kan

Monday, June 3, 2024

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Ohio Wesleyan Launches Entrepreneurship Competition

DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University on Monday launched its new U.S. Entrepreneurship Competition. 

The competition, open to entrepreneurs of all ages and from all locations, offers a total prize package of nearly $500,000.

The competition includes both student and professional tracks. The student track is open to current college students and 2024 graduates. The professional track is open to all others. 

First-, second- and third-place winners in each category will earn cash investments and incubate in the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at OWU, where they will have access to intellectual capital and services to advance their business ideas.

“Ohio Wesleyan was founded with entrepreneurial spirit nearly 200 years ago,” said Phil Smith, director of the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at OWU. “The competition lets us expand upon this innate strength and help others build their own business legacies. Winners will receive the expert advice and support they need to forge their path forward and launch a successful company.”

Up to 10 teams – student and professional – will be selected to participate Sept. 26 in a live competition. Semifinalists must be able to travel to the OWU campus to compete, Smith said.

The judges will announce the top three winners in each track that day, with final placements announced Oct. 5 during an Ohio Wesleyan Homecoming and Family Weekend celebration. The winners will earn prize packages valued at $100,000, $75,000 and $50,000, respectively. The judges will award $5,000 prizes to the fourth- and fifth-place finishers in each category, as well as special awards such as best “elevator” pitch and most sustainable business.

Those applying to compete must be able to submit:

• Business plans, potentially including an executive summary, industry overview, market analysis, sales and marketing plan, management plan, operating plan and financial plan.
• Media materials, including a business logo, social media links and 100-word business description.

Applicants also must be able to answer a series of questions, including:

• What primary and secondary markets are you seeking to serve?
• Has your startup generated any sales revenue? How much?
• Has your startup received any funding? How much and what types?

During the live competition, semifinalists will make 60-second “elevator” and five-minute full pitches to the judges, who will follow up with three minutes of questions to determine each plan’s viability and potential.

“The U.S. Entrepreneurship Competition at Ohio Wesleyan University will provide all competitors with valuable experience in preparing for, presenting and answering questions about their business plans,” Smith said. “And we can’t wait to welcome the USEC winners into the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at OWU to help them address their challenges, build their businesses and move closer to achieving their goals.”

Applications for the competition are due before midnight Aug. 15. Apply HERE . 

Pictured at top: The Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at Ohio Wesleyan University. (Photo by Paul Vernon)

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.

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Can Revolut's mortgage plan bring true competition to Irish banking?

Revolut has grown rapidly in Ireland and now has 2.7m customers, not dissimilar from the customer base of Ireland’s legacy banks.

From humble beginnings as a simple, exchange rate-friendly travel card, few could foresee the upward trajectory on which Revolut would venture.

Boasting an Irish customer base of more than 2.7 million in just nine years, the speed of its growth in both a domestic and international context dwarfs the success of its closest neo rivals, and in recent years, has instilled hope of a real, viable alternative to the limited choice offered by Ireland’s two-and-a-half banks.

Recent months have seen several new Revolut products introduced in Ireland, including eSims, instant-access saving accounts, credit cards and insurance, with mortgages remaining "firmly in the pipeline," the company said.

Before becoming a journalist, I worked for a summer in the financial consulting division of one of the big four accounting firms, during which I was asked to identify sectors that, due to their business model, found success in spite of the unprecedented headwinds of the pandemic era.

Choosing the growing fintech industry at the time felt like a no-brainer — their user-friendly interfaces were a welcome change from their traditional counterparts, which mattered more than ever when forced by circumstances to bank online.

Not only that, Revolut’s global market ensured it did not rely on one region, making it more diversified and stable than its traditional competitors. 

Furthermore, the app’s targeting of different demographics through niche packages, particularly for younger customers, far exceeded the product offerings of Irish banks.

Ambitious plans

I touched on Revolut’s ambitious plans for the future, namely, the app’s migration to Irish IBANs, its move to have salaries deposited directly into customer accounts, the choice to take out personal loans and its planned expansion into the credit market — all of which have since become a reality.

At the time, it felt like the natural next step was to start taking the fintech sector seriously and thoroughly consider the impact of global competitors on Irish banks, the same banks that comprise the client list of the very firm I worked for. I was laughed out of the meeting.

It was made abundantly clear that day that banks like Revolut were not given serious consideration — that their growing popularity was simply a phase and it would be wrong to believe that after “all the work” and “years of innovation” implemented by Irish banks that customers would really migrate elsewhere. Old attitudes die hard.

Fast forward to 2023, the withdrawal of major players has seen a dramatic concentration in the banking market, with financial results showing just how much Ireland’s legacy banks have benefitted from KBC’s and Ulster Bank’s departure.

Bank of Ireland acquired €8bn in mortgage loans from KBC, while AIB and Permanent TSB carved out the Ulster Bank mortgage and commercial loan books between them.

In addition, new mortgages for AIB have also surged as a result of growing concentration, with the bank’s share of new mortgage loans now rising to more than 30%.

Similarly, Permanent TSB, the sector’s smallest lender, watched its share of the new mortgage market grow to more than 23% at the end of June from a share of just 16.3% a year earlier, following its acquisition of 88,000 new customers from Ulster Bank and 25 of its branches.

Collapse in banking competition

The collapse in banking competition, aided by the European Central Bank’s aggressive interest rate campaign , has transformed the riches of Ireland’s banks with record profits reported in recent months.

Fortunes like these are only achieved at the expense of someone or another, and it comes as no surprise that banks are at the same time, increasing rates for consumers, offering low rates to depositors, and implementing cost-cutting strategies impacting their own employees.

In the last few years, Revolut’s ever-expanding service offering has reduced the need to bank elsewhere. With 2.7 million customers, which is not dissimilar from the customer base of Ireland’s legacy banks, Revolut knows the aim of the game is not to focus on further customer growth but to expand the usage and engagement of existing customers through additional services.

Mortgage market

As part of this strategy, Revolut has signalled an expansion into Ireland’s mortgage market , a pivot that its own chief executive, Nik Storonsky, has pledged to offer, describing home loans that are “100% digital,” that would be financed by the bank themselves rather than through an intermediary.

Hence, by next year, Ireland could have a global bank offering everything from home loans, loans for small businesses, instant transfers, cash-back shopping, junior banking, stock trading, insurance and more, serving as a reminder to Ireland’s banks that the sector is not immune to international competitors.

It seems the message is slowly kicking in, which has led to a collective effort by Ireland’s legacy banks to prevent the threat of outsider competition.

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You can tell us here

In 2020, AIB, Bank of Ireland, Permanent TSB and KBC introduced Synch, a mobile payments app that would allow consumers to send money immediately to friends and family, as well as allow customers to complete retail and e-commerce transactions.

The goal of the app was to create an industry-wide banking payments platform to rival Revolut’s growing presence. However, sources within Revolut said they were not concerned by Synch. 

Three years later, the pillar banks pulled the plug on the plan saying the plan was no longer feasible.

Further competition is needed in Ireland’s banking sector. An industry that has for so long been dominated by the same players lacks innovation and in pursuit of profits, has neglected an imprisoned customer base with nowhere else to go.

One international player cannot fix Ireland’s entire banking sector. The past few years have shown the growing need for State intervention in the market, along with alternative lenders like credit unions, but at long last, it seems Revolut will give Ireland’s banks the kick they need to refocus their priorities.

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Business-Plan Competitions For startups seeking critical seed money, business-plan competitions can be both a blessing and a curse.

By Matt Villano Jul 25, 2012

Not all business-plan competitions are created equal.

Some not only pay better than others, select competitions carry far more prestige. Still others require careful consideration, as some contests ask winners to fork over equity in their business -- fine print that could wind up hurting a startup attempting to land investors down the road.

Of course, the fact that competitions offer dissimilar costs and benefits is hardly a news flash for the many young entrepreneurs who've participated in the contest circuit. But for those who are itching to start up -- and lasso funding to do it -- consider this your tutorial.

Keep your eye on the prize. Many business-plan competitions -- especially those affiliated with business schools -- yield relatively small potatoes: $5,000 here, $10,000 there.

By contrast, corporate-backed contests, such as the MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneurs Series business plan competition and a contest sponsored by the Hitachi Foundation , dole out to winners $50,000 apiece. Still others, like MassChallenge that bill themselves as accelerators and include a competition component, divvy out serious cash -- more than $1 million in cash prizes overall.

Arguably the best strategy is piecing together money from a variety of competitions. Just ask Nikhil Arora, co-founder of Back to the Roots , a Berkeley, Calif.-based company that sells do-it-yourself kits to grow gourmet mushrooms. Since BTTR was founded in 2009, the company has won roughly $130,000 in more than two dozen different competitions.

"We've won enough that we actually haven't had to raise any money yet," says Arora, noting that the company expects to generate $5 million in revenue this year.

Related: At College Pitch Contests, Giant Companies are Listening

Make the most of new contacts. The chance at winning big bucks isn't the only reason to compete. In many cases, participation prompts young entrepreneurs to think about their business plans in new ways -- a process that can help them refine their message and their brands.

Another benefit: top-tier advice. In many contests -- especially those sponsored by business schools -- judges and other competition organizers reach out individually to applicant companies both during and after the evaluation stage. That process can often help entrepreneurs establish new contacts and mentors to help grow the business.

This was the case for Erin Lewis, co-founder of Fashion Forward Maternity , a maternity-clothing rental service in Lafayette, Colo. Though her company has won a total of almost $70,000 in five different contests since last November (including second place at the 2012 Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition ), she says the people she's met along the way have had the biggest impact.

"We've gotten help and input from so many, and we always come away with new ideas and new things we've learned," says Lewis.

Related: How to Get the Most out of the Next 54 Hours

Manage your time wisely. Still, there are downsides to competitions of this nature. Most entrepreneurs estimate they spend between ten and 40 hours prepping the application packet for each competition. But some owners like Natalie Meza, the CEO and founder of Averyboo Arts question the ROI from all of that effort.

This spring, the Long Beach, Calif.-based creativity center for kids ages 2 to 9, entered Averyboo into the 2012 Chase Mission Small Business contest. All told, she estimates having spent about six hours on the application packet--a significant investment, considering that she handles almost all of the company's day-to-day operations.

"I wonder if my time would [have been] better spent on completing my new website and summer marketing," she says. Of course, if she wins, her story may change. Winners are expected to be announced in early September.

Related: Pitching in the Big Leagues: Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch

Watch the fine print. Beyond practical concerns about time management, many business-plan competitions are rife with some of the same potential pitfalls that exist whenever an entrepreneur puts his or her ideas on the line. Claudia Espinola, whose Boston-based footwear company Casa Couture won a 2011 award from MassChallenge, notes that the biggest dangers can come from being affiliated with the competition itself.

"With some competitions, applicants are required to give up equity or a portion of future royalties if they win prize money," she says. "The cost of [doing] this before seeking outside investments may be a deterrent to would-be investors who are concerned about dilution."

Disclosure can be a problem, too. Many entrepreneurs don't realize that once they've brought the basic tenets of an idea into the public domain, the clock on the patentability of that idea starts ticking.

What are some other reasons for and against participating in business competitions? Leave a comment and let us know.

Matt Villano is a freelance writer and editor in Healdsburg, Calif. He is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur , and has covered startups and entrepreneurship for The New York Times , TIME and CIO . He also covers a variety of other topics, including travel, parenting, education and -- seriously -- gambling. He can be found on his personal website, Whalehead.com .

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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National Business Plan Competition

Ages: High School

Types: Submission, Presentation

Scope: National

[email protected] 855-740-6555

Participate

The VE National Business Plan Competition challenges VE students from across the country to demonstrate their global business expertise through written business plans and oral presentations. The competition showcases best practices, rewards excellence, and trains high school students to apply sophisticated knowledge and skills attributed to business professionals and college students. Teams from across the country participate in local and regional competitions to qualify for this event. The competition represents an opportunity for the VE community to motivate and reward its best performing VE teams and builds momentum for an already fast growing, unique program.

• Firm Name, School Name, Coordinator Name and Contact Info
• Total Number of Presenting Team Members, Full Names of Presenting Team Members (indicate backup presenters if necessary)
• Firm Availability / Presentation Time Slots (please note we may not be able to accommodate all requests and selections should adhere to the parameters outlined by your VE region)
• Signed Photo/Video Consent Forms for each team member in a single PDF file (digital signatures accepted)
• Signed Ethics Agreement in a PDF file (digital signatures accepted)
• Written Submission (Competitions Manager): Each firm will submit the 4-page Enhanced Executive Summary by December 15 to the Competitions Manager.
• Oral Presentation Slides Submission (Competitions Manager): Each firm will submit the oral presentation slideshow deck by the deadline set by your Regional Director to the Competitions Manager.

Website: https://veinternational.org/2020-21-nbpc-guidelines/

Managing Organization: Virtual Enterprises International

Contact: [email protected] 855-740-6555

Eligibility: All high school teams participating in VE are eligible to compete in the local and regional rounds of the 2020-21 Business Plan Competition. The top 40-50 teams from across the country will participate in the final rounds of the National Business Plan Competition.   All participants must be current student-employees of the registered VE firm. All employees are allowed and encouraged to contribute in preparing the enhanced executive summary for the local/regional competition. There are no limits to the number of presenters in a team, but all members of the presentation team must participate in the Q&A.

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very business needs a business plan,” says Jon Bittner, executive director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UAA. “Do you need a sixty-page, high-gloss plan? Probably not; not at first, anyway. But it’s a really crucial first step for any business.”

That first step is more than a blueprint for the final form of a business, according to Ashley Snookes, program director at Spruce Root. “Business plans can be seen as a final destination, [but] when we look at a plan that way, it breaks. It doesn’t last for the many things that happen to a business,” she says.

Spruce Root is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) serving Southeast. In addition to its lending, networking, and philanthropic functions, Spruce Root’s Path to Prosperity program includes one-on-one business coaching, online training, and multi-day workshops.

The flagship feature, though, is its business plan competition. Twice each year, the nine-week “Business and Balance” course leads a cohort through compiling a plan. At the end, judges award the best three up to $20,000 apiece.

Bittner notes that many Alaska brands owe their success to a solid plan—and to the financial boost from a competition prize. “That’s where they got their start, most of the ones that seem to have the best marketing presence. And I don’t think that’s a coincidence, honestly,” he says. “I think that there is definitely a direct tie to entrepreneurs that understand the opportunity that these competitions represent and their ability to leverage that later on.” “Participants are learning core elements of running a business… The ‘lightbulb’ moments had by our participants—from startups to seasoned entrepreneurs—tells us that these trainings make a difference in how they run their businesses.” Ashley Snookes, Program Director, Spruce Root Company Description Most businesses never submit plans for competition. Bittner says SBDC works with up to 2,000 clients per year, but competitions might be limited to a dozen entrants at a time. Organized contests certainly aren’t a requirement.

But they can help. Most lenders require a well-vetted business plan, Bittner says, so participating in a contest looks good on a loan application.

Cash prizes are another common incentive. “Some of them have money involved,” Bittner says. “Sometimes you get access to free resources, marketing, things like that. Some of them, it’s the exposure: you get a lot of promotion, not even if you win but if you’re in the top three. You also get access to the network of judges, sponsors, and other participants.”

More than once, Bittner has seen competitors become collaborators by cross-pollinating their ideas. They also sharpen each other, motivating greater effort. “Sometimes people need that competitive edge to do the homework,” Bittner says. “This gives you a structure, a timeline, and maybe some upside on the back end.”

Snookes sees competitions the same way. “They’re a structured methodology for fleshing out your ideas or bringing them into action,” she says. “A lot of folks really like entering into something that gives them a hard deadline and a goal that they’re going to accomplish—and that extra carrot at the end, sometimes, of an award or something that they’re reaching for.”

Furthermore, contests bring new talent into contact with experts. “Participants are learning core elements of running a business,” Snookes says. “The ‘lightbulb’ moments had by our participants—from startups to seasoned entrepreneurs—tells us that these trainings make a difference in how they run their businesses.” The 2022 Path to Prosperity cohort takes a field trip to Barnacle Foods in Juneau.

Business portal for young professionals

The best business plan competitions in 2021

📝  Editor’s note:  Make sure to bookmark this page as we keep on adding and reviewing new business plan competitions to the list.

It has become a tradition of ours to share an annual overview of new ways you how you can raise funds to start and grow your venture.

Business plan competitions are great  opportunities  to get funding for your business ideas, feedback on your strategic plan, and exposure to the right audience.

This is also a smart way to expand your network, acquire new talent, partners and clients as well as gain feedback on your idea and your business strategy.

The following list includes competitions for budding and current entrepreneurs and those who just consider  entrepreneurship  as their first career choice.

The list offers a diverse variety of opportunities: business plan competitions, elevator pitches, business student conferences and case competitions that encourage innovation from all imaginable industries and backgrounds.

We have picked the gems that you can apply for in 2021 with your business idea and we have listed them in chronological order. Good luck!

Rice Business Plan Competition

Deadline:  February 2, 2021  | Apply  here Prize:  more than $1.5 million in cash and prizes Eligibility:  Any graduate-student startup, in a broad range of industries, from any university, in any degree program, can apply to the RBPC

The Rice Business Plan Competition is the world’s richest and largest graduate-level student startup competition.

It provides an unparalleled experience for the participants by designing a diverse program over the course of three days, with significant time designated for feedback and interaction with the judging panel.

HBS New Venture Competition

Deadline:  February 3, 2021  | Apply  here Prize:  $300,000 in cash Eligibility:  Participating teams require at least one Harvard Business School MBA student who plays a primary role in the business. The HBS student should be a part of the founding team and a significant equity holder if equity has been distributed. There is a $1,500,000 limit in seed capital raised and a $2,000,000 limit in revenue generated.

New Venture Competition provides a unique opportunity for students to put entrepreneurship principles into practice with an integrative learning experience.

Whether you are a winner of prizes, go on to implement your proposed new venture idea, or simply take advantage of the learning and apply it later in your career, the Competition will be an exciting, challenging, and rewarding experience.

Utah Entrepreneur Challenge

Deadline:  February 8, 2021  | Apply  here Prize:  $100,000 in cash and prizes Eligibility:  The team must be organized and directed by a student from a college or university in the state of Utah; The founding student must be an active student during both semesters of the competition year; The student team members must be involved in all aspects of the UEC competition

The Utah Entrepreneur Challenge (UEC) is a statewide, student business model competition. Teams from universities across the state compete for the best business model and a chance to win $100,000 in cash and prizes.

The grand prize is $40,000. We invite the public and special guests to enjoy the final showcase and awards ceremony in the spring.

New Venture Championship

Deadline:  February 14, 2021  | Apply  here Prize:  more than $50,000 in total cash awards Eligibility:  The competition is for student-created, managed, and owned ventures. Teams of 2-5 students of which least one member of the team is required to be enrolled in a graduate program are encouraged to apply

Presented by the University of Oregon’s Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship, the New Venture Championship ( NVC ) is the Pacific Northwest’s original six-round business competition, setting the standard followed by others.

Teams from elite universities come to Portland every year to pitch their venture plans and vie for more than $50,000 in total cash awards.

Draper Competition for Collegiate Women Entrepreneurs

Deadline: February 26, 2021, 2021 | Apply here Prize: This year’s competition provides more than $100,000 in cash and prizes, including a $25,000 cash prize as well as a Draper University Scholarship for the Grand Prize winner  Eligibility: The competition is for new, for-profit, independent ventures in the seed, start-up or early growth stages. Ventures with a social impact focus are eligible as long as there is a revenue-generating component to the venture. Ventures that qualify for 501(c) status are not eligible. Each team must have at least one eligible Team Member who is an undergraduate woman at any accredited not-for-profit college or university located in the United States.

The annual Draper Competition for Collegiate Women Entrepreneurs is designed to hone the skills that undergraduate women need to advance from idea to venture creation.

Through multiple rounds of competition, students demonstrate an understanding of a problem, why the problem requires a new venture to address it, and how their idea presents the best solution to the problem.

Harriet Stephenson Business Plan Competition

Deadline: March 7, 2021 | Apply here Prize:  Grand Prize   $10,000  Eligibility:  Teams that include active Seattle University students enrolled either full-time or part-time in degree programs during one or more of the following academic periods: Summer 2019, Fall 2019, Winter 2020, or Spring 2020 and alumni who have graduated from SU prior to the Summer 2019 academic period

The HSBPC is a public event and draws hundreds of investors, advisors, business leaders, community members, students, alumni, and faculty as audience members.

It is designed to help students and alumni in launching new business ventures, including for-profit businesses, not-for-profit businesses, corporate entrepreneurship, and social enterprise

Augustana College Business Plan Competition

Deadline: March 8, 2021 | Apply here Prize: The first-place award is $4,500; second place $3,000, third place $1,500; and $500 each to the remaining two teams. Eligibility:  All current students may submit written business plans, and the best five plans will be invited to compete

The fifth annual Augustana College Business Plan Competition invites teams or individual students to present their ideas to a panel of business professionals.

Global Student Entrepreneur Awards

Deadline:  varies depending on the location |  Apply  here Prize:  Prizes are generally a combination of cash and business services and will vary by location. At the Global Finals, students compete for a prize package of US$25,000 in cash Eligibility:  You must be enrolled for the current academic year in a university/college as an undergraduate or graduate student at the time of application. The age cap for participation is 30 years of age

The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) is the premier global competition for students who own and operate a business while attending college or university.

Nominees compete against their peers from around the world in a series of local and/or national competitions in hopes to qualify for GSEA Finals. Founded in 1998 by Saint Louis University, GSEA is now an Entrepreneurs’ Organization program.

Next Founders

Deadline:  March 17, 2021 | Apply here Prize:  $300,000 in cash Eligibility:  Next founders is for Canadian founders of scalable, high-growth ventures

Next Founders accelerates the growth of Canada’s most promising entrepreneurs by providing mentorship, access to capital, and unparalleled entrepreneurial education taught by world-class faculty.

Next Founders is a flexible program, offering à-la-carte education from some of North America’s top minds that you can opt-into based on your individual needs.

U.Pitch Competition

Applications open:  Fall 2021 Prize:  $10,000

U.Pitch brings together the best students from a cross-section of universities in this ultimate national elevator pitch competition. In just 90 seconds, students compete for national recognition and a prize pool of $10,000.

They also have the opportunity to showcase their idea or startup in front of hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and other students from the entrepreneurial community.

MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition

2021 Applications TBA Prize:  More than $300K in non-dilutive funding is awarded to accelerate the winning ventures Eligibility:  Each team must have at least one currently registered MIT student; if you are submitting as an individual, you must be a currently registered MIT student.

The MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition has brought together students and researchers from across MIT and Greater Boston to launch their talent, ideas, and technology into leading companies.

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Three Steps to Winning Business Plan Competitions

Ting shih, founder of clickmedix, discusses the best way to structure your business plan pitch so you can come out on top..

I founded my healthcare technology company, ClickMedix, while I was a graduate student at MIT's Development Ventures class. Our mission is to improve the health of over one billion people. We currently have deployments in 18 countries, and serve more than a quarter million patients - all without investor money. I have been funding my startup by winning business plan competitions and through paying customers . Here are three steps to winning business plan competitions:

Step 1. Show Traction

What distinguishes your business, from winning and losing, is the fact that you have actual customers paying for your innovative solution. If you are not currently collecting payment, then provide solid, irrefutable evidence that many people will pay for your solution.

Why? Given only a 3-5 minute pitch, judges or investors need to know that your solution will make money. The best way to prove that your business will be hugely profitable is to show that it already makes money or that it will generate revenues with certainty.

A winning pitch may start as: Most of us are familiar with this problem, and our solution has generated $x amount of revenues or y users growing at z% monthly. I generally have one image, which I use to briefly illustrate the problem and communicate the main message. Then, I indicate that we have global deployments, paying customers, and customers who refer new customers to us, resulting in strong revenues and high growth year after year.

Step 2. Show Market Potential

When I first started answering the question, "what's the market size of your business", I went through various market research reports to show that the market is really large. Although these figures are important, what matters most to winning the contest is that your solution can address the need in the market, and that the market is growing.

Why? Marketing figures are generally large, e.g. hundreds of millions or billions. But judges and investors need to know how a new company can actually tackle that market- either by winning over customers of existing larger companies, or through a new solution that addresses customers' unmet needs.

Most pitches go like this: "The market size for our solution is $50Billion and growing at 30% CAGR. We are on our way to tackle that market."

By contrast, a winning pitch will include phrases such as: "At $50Billion with a 30% CAGR, this market is large and growing, our solution is better than existing solutions, we have already won business over current competitors, and these customer segments are growing."

Step 3. Show You're the One that Can Best Solve the Problem

Once you've demonstrated that you are successful and can be profitable, and that the profit has tremendous growth potential, one of the most important questions to address is whether you have the best solution for your customers.

Why? While your solution may be innovative, it's important to articulate how it is different than existing solutions. Given a fixed amount of money a customer would spend to solve their problem, judges and investors need to know that these customers would pay for your solution instead of the others.

A winning pitch includes a competitive landscape or other comparable information, PLUS the "secret sauce" for why your solution would win customers more frequently and faster than any other solution. The secret sauce can be special skills of team members, it can be a partnership agreement with an important channel partner or distributor, or ways you can build your solution faster and cheaper than your competitors. For a B2B solution such as ClickMedix, one way to show how we solve the problem better, faster, and cheaper is through implementation stories or case studies where we describe the problem we solved for our customers, how we solved it faster and cheaper, and yielded better results.

Business plan competitions are more or less a zero-sum game. Judges will have to pick a fixed number of winners, usually based on a scoring scheme within the evaluation criteria. Your goal is to be their best pick of the competitors. When going through the three steps to winning, strategize your presentation so that you can score the highest within the evaluation criteria- higher than the competition.

About the Author

Ting Shih founded ClickMedix , an award-winning healthcare technology enterprise born out of MIT Media Lab to enable health organizations to serve more patients through its eHealth platform. Her areas of expertise include mHealth solution design, competitive strategy, lean/Six Sigma process improvement and operations management. She spent five years implementing mobile health programs across 18 countries in North America, South America, Africa, and Asia to develop financially sustainable health programs through ClickMedix. The programs equipped health workers, nurses, pharmacists, and physicians with smartphones to capture patient symptoms information, images, and other related health data to be transmitted to remote specialists who can provide diagnosis and treatment advice. Ting is Toyota Mother of Invention 2015 and Cartier Women's Initiative Laureate 2012 for North America. She holds an MBA and MS in Systems Engineering from MIT. In addition, she holds a BS in Computer Science and MS in Software Design and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.​

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The Best 20 Business Plan Competitions to Get Funding in (2024)

Free Business Plan Template

Radhika Agarwal

• October 18, 2023

11 Min Read

Brilliant business ideas deserve 2 things for sure – Feedback and Funding.

And if you think you have a good business idea and have some bit of groundwork figured out, you may want to look into business plan competitions.

Now, what is a business plan competition? Why should you participate in one? How to find one that’s just right for your business?

We’ll discuss all of the above and more through this article.

What is a Business Plan Competition?

A business plan competition is an event that allows small businesses and startups to compete with each other, get feedback and advice on their business, and also can help you get your business funded.

Businesses are judged on several factors including execution, feasibility, innovation, etc.

How to Find a Business Plan Competition?

There are several business plan competitions listed on Google that you can look through. Different competitions have different eligibility criteria and guidelines. Go through all of that to know if it fits your business or not.

At the same time, it is important to check the credibility and check for any scams or illegitimate sites.

To make finding business plan competitions a little easier we have compiled a list of 20 popular and credible competitions that you can apply for.

Business Plan Competitions

• Global Student Entrepreneur Awards
• tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition
• HATCH Pitch
• Rice Business Plan Competition
• New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition
• MIT 100k Business Plan and Expo
• FAU Business Plan Competition
• NIBS Business Plan Competition
• Pistoia Alliance President’s Startup Challenge
• College of New Jersey’s Mayo Business Plan Competition
• Next Founders Business Plan Competition
• TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield
• New Venture Challenge
• New Venture Championship
• Climatech & Energy Prize @MIT
• Baylor Business New Venture Competition
• 13th IOT/WT World Cup

1. Global Student Entrepreneur Awards

To encourage students across the globe to become entrepreneurs GSEA organizes this competition for students from all disciplines and countries. The main aim of the awards is to draw people towards entrepreneurship, shape their ideas, and become a catalyst for their business’s growth.

Eligibility

The student must enroll in a part-time or full-time undergraduate or graduate course.

The student should own or work as a founder or co-founder of the startup.

Only one person from the startup can represent it.

The person should either be 30 or under 30 years of age.

The startup should be running for at least 6 months from the date of application.

The startup should either generate $500 or get $1000 as investments at the time of application.

The startup shouldn’t have reached the final round of the competition in previous years.

For more details check out their website.

The competition is held at several locations across the world over months during a school year. The finals among the Top 4 teams are held at Goldman Sachs New York.

• First Prize: $25,000
• Second Prize: $10,000
• Third Prize: $5,000

Lodging and travel expenses are covered and additional prizes are handed out at the event.

2. tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition

The tecBRIDGE competition is divided into two parts, with one for college students across 14 colleges and universities and a non-collegiate one for early-stage entrepreneurs.

( For Collegiate )

At least one member as a college student

The product must identify commercial solutions through technical processes.

( For Non-Collegiate )

The startup must gross less than $250k in revenue from its start date up to the last tax filing date.

It is held in Northeastern Pennsylvania every year. The businesses that win have to establish their headquarters there as well.

Prizes worth $100,000 are shared amongst the winning teams.

3. HATCH Pitch

Through the Hatch Pitch program, you get access to mentorship courses, discounted spaces, funds, education programs, financial consulting, and so on.

The product/ Service was launched within 2 years.

Founders should retain some part of the ownership.

Must actively participate actively in Hatch Pitch coaching.

Must receive less than $5 million in funds from third-party investors.

The competition is held at Entrepreneur space in Dallas.

Access to high-level incubators and mentorship.

4. Rice Business Plan Competition

The Rice University business plan competition is specially designed for college students to present their ideas to investors , get mentorship and help shape their ideas and business journey better.

Students managed or created businesses.

Consists of at least 2 college students, and one student pursuing a graduate degree.

Have raised less than $250k in equity capital.

Have generated less than $100k in any 12-month period.

Houston at Rice University, graduate school of business, hosts this event.

In 2021, the winners were awarded investments worth $1.6 Million , cash prizes, etc.

5. New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition

New York Public library sponsors this competition to help entrepreneurs from around the world. They give wings to their ideas.

Must live in Manhattan, Staten Island, or The Bronx.

Your business should be in any of the above places as well.

The idea or business model is in the startup phase and shouldn’t have earned more than $10,000.

The competition is held in New York.

A grand prize worth $15000 and a Runner Up prize worth $7500 .

6. MIT 100k Business Plan and Expo

MIT organizes this competition to promote innovation in the university as well as the world. It consists of 3 competitions throughout the year namely Pitch, Accelerate, and Launch.

Each team should enter one idea.

Participants must have original work ideas

Should disclose the received funding.

Hosted in Cambridge MA MIT campus from October to May through the academic year.

• Pitch: $5000 jury award and $2000 audience choice award.
• Accelerate: 20 finalists get industry-specific mentorship programs with a budget of $1000 each. The top 10 finalists compete for the Audience Choice award worth $10,000. The top 3 finalists immediately get into the finals of the launch.
• Launch: The winner gets a whopping amount of $100,000 while the runner gets $25000 .

Official Website MIT 100k

7. FAU Business Plan Competition

The Florida Atlantic University Business Plan Competition is for graduate and undergraduate students spanning all continents.

Undergraduate or graduate participants.

The competition is held at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, Florida.

First Prize: $5000 and Second Prize: $500

8. NIBS Business Plan Competition

The NIBS competition helps you discuss and give a boost to your ideas. It also helps you get industry experts guidance.

Entrants of legal age to have contracts as per the rules of their country of residence.

Should not hold any employment apart from their own company.

The plan must stand for a startup business and not an acquisition.

It is held in the USA.

There’s a cash prize for the first three places as well as an opportunity to get an incubator program for the winners.

9. Get Seeded

Get Seed is a two-part funding program for students in launching their businesses.

At least one student from a higher education institution in Utah is a must.

Should be enrolled for nine credit hours during that semester.

Utilization of funds to take the idea further.

Salt Lake City in Utah hosts the business plan competition.

A micro-grant worth $500 and a seeded grant from $501 to $1500

10. Pistoia Alliance President’s Startup Challenge

This competition was designed for startups focusing on digital and health technology.

Legally formed entities

The company must have less than 50 people.

Annual sales under $5 million.

The product should have been launched within 3 years.

Your country should not have USA’s trade restrictions imposed.

You can submit your ideas from anywhere.

Five finalists win $5000 and 2 winners receive $20,000 .

Official Website

11. College of New Jersey’s Mayo Business Plan Competition

This competition is held for students to appreciate new challenges.

The teams must consist of two and bot more than four students from the College of New Jersey.

The College of New Jersey hosts this event.

The winners get mentorship and guidance programs.

Check Official Website

12. Next Founders Business Plan Competition

This competition focuses on startups with an innovative approach to solving social problems and global needs.

It is for Canadian entrepreneurs with scalable, high-potential ventures.

The University of Toronto.

Up to 25,000 CAD$ in cash for funding your startup.

13. TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield

TechCrunch sponsors this competition which comprises two levels.

The companies must have a functional prototype of their product or service to present to the committee.

Different locations.

The winner gets $50,000 and two runner-ups get $5000 each.

Check Competition Website

14. New Venture Challenge

This competition is held at the University of Chicago. Three evaluation points for participants are – Innovation, Product Market Fit , and presentation.

The eligibility information is available on their website.

Chicago, IL.

1st Place: $50,000 ; 2nd Place: $25,000 ; 3rd Place: $15,000 . In addition to that, the winners get access to mentorship and resources.

15. New Venture Championship

This competition is for those with a good business idea. Even if you don’t have a business plan, you can participate as the competition provides optional plan writing services.

The team should have 2-5 members.

Should have at least one graduate student.

The students should be pursuing their undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Eugene, Oregon.

Teams have a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $3000 to $25,000 with additional benefits like mentorship and rented office spaces.

16. Climatech & Energy Prize @MIT

This competition is ideal for companies with a core focus on energy, climate change, and the environment.

The team must have more than 2 members.

At least 50% of part-time or full-time university students.

Cambridge, MA hosts this competition

The winner gets a sizable sum of $1,00,000 .

17. U.Pitch

This competition gives entrants a chance to present their ideas to people from different levels and spectrums in the business space and get an opportunity for investments and mentorship programs.

Undergraduate or graduate program students.

Functioning Business

Age up to or below 30

San Francisco, California hosts this competition.

Prizes worth $10,000 are given.

18. CodeLaunch

It is a seed accelerator competition for entrepreneurs who have technology startups.

The detailed eligibility criteria can be found on their website.

St. Louis, Missouri hosts these competitions, usually.

The winner gets seed fund capital and access to other additional resources.

19. Baylor Business New Venture Competition

Baylor launched this competition to help entrepreneurs discuss their ideas and get advice from judges.

An undergraduate student at Baylor University and McLennan Community College.

Baylor University, Waco, Texas hosts this competition.

The first prize winner receives $6000 . The other finalists win prizes ranging from $1500-$2000 .

20. 13th IOT/WT World Cup

The innovation world cup was started to give startups a chance to display their ideas and business. The competition aims to attract venture capitalists, investors, and potential business partners .

The startup should have a concept of innovative technologies.

You should have a functional prototype of the product.

Cleveland, Ohio hosts this event.

You get a chance at winning prizes worth $500,000 and connect with leading tech companies in your field.

Even if you don’t receive funds, there’s a lot of chance to network, get exposure, and get your ideas validated. Especially, if you are someone who’s new in the business space business plan competitions are a great way to learn the ropes of the trade.

So, go ahead, write your business plan , look up the details, and register for a competition that fits your business the best!

Build your Business Plan Faster

with step-by-step Guidance & AI Assistance.

About the Author

Radhika is an economics graduate and likes to read about every subject and idea she comes across. Apart from that she can discuss her favorite books to lengths( to the point you\'ll start feeling a little annoyed) and spends most of her free time on Google word coach.

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Concordia Business Plan Competition

Register Now

On April 6th, 2024, Concordia University Irvine will host the 9th Annual Concordia Business Plan Competition (CBPC). It will facilitate two divisions: an undergraduate division composed of Concordia undergraduate students and a high school division comprised of high school teams from the Orange County area.

The Competition will consist of two parts: The written business plan and the oral presentation. The written business plan document is based on professional business plans that any startup would require and follows a provided outline. Next, the oral presentation is an 8-12 minute oral presentation of this idea to our judges in a Shark-Tank style setting.

Workshops will be included throughout the semester before the competition to help students develop their plan, and mentors will be available as well to help guide students throughout the process. We are excited to hold our competition this year!

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

From this experience you will gain:

• Mentorship from local business professionals
• Knowledge of how to develop a business plan
• College experience in the business field

Fast Pitch Information

Day 1 (fast pitch).

There will be two days for the competition. Day 1 is the Fast Pitch 
Competition, and Day 2 is the main competition with the oral presentation 
held in a Shark-Tank setting.

The Fast Pitch Competition is a quick 90-second elevator pitch of the competitors’ business plan. Competitors will pitch their ideas in front of business professionals, and first-place winners of both the Undergraduate and High School Divisions will win a small Prize.

Teams will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the Undergraduate Division and High School Division, as well as have other opportunities to be recognized for their achievements.

Become a Mentor

The role for a mentor in the Concordia Business Plan Competition is to help and encourage participating teams in their endeavors to win the competition. This is a great opportunity to give back and get connected with hard working and aspiring students!

Testimonials

Its so good for networking. The amount of business cards and different people that I got to connect with that have successful backgrounds is incredible. People are so willing to give their feedback of areas that we can improve or what they even see as possibilities. People seemed interested in investing in something that I believe in.

Jason St. Pierre, 1st Place Undergraduate

It was nice going through the business plan Competition and figuring out what factors go into running a business. It was really nice getting to present because I personally do not do very well with that. It was nice getting a chance to feel more comfortable with it.

Catherine Fischer, 1st Place High School

This event gives an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to come out here and get experience in front of a crowd. It’s amazing to see what the young people of our county can come up with. It gives you a lot of hope for the future of our community.

Bryan Ruef, 2022 Competition Judge

2022 Highlights

Competition Day

Fast Pitch Competition

We would love to hear from you, join our community.

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8:48 a.m., Oct. 22, 2009----After a long, crowded, expensive train ride home to New York State, University of Delaware student Francois Chaubard thought of an easier way. That's when he came up with the idea for BusBookie.com, an online demand-driven bus chartering business.

Chaubard, who graduated from UD in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, and partner Brandon Maas, who graduated in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in computer science, took the idea to the University of Delaware Business Plan Competition, where they fine-tuned the concept, developed a detailed business plan, and won a first prize at last year's competition.

The 2010 University of Delaware Business Plan Competition is actively seeking submissions by student entrepreneurs with business ideas who want to turn them into reality. The competition is open to students across all disciplines and colleges at the University of Delaware, graduate or undergraduate. Faculty, staff, and alumni ideas also are eligible, provided that at least one student is on the team and participating.

The first competition deadline is Friday, Oct. 30, with entrants submitting a three-page business overview. Submission of a full business plan is due by Feb. 15, 2010, and all finalists will present their business to the 2010 Business Plan Competition on April 22 in conjunction with the President's Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship on April 23. The competition is co- sponsored by the Venture Development Center and UD's Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships.

Individual competitors and teams are encouraged to seek the assistance and participation of UD faculty, alumni, researchers, and staff.

Students and teams can still begin the process after Oct. 30, but early submission of a business overview is encouraged so that students can be partnered with business mentors and fully take advantage of available resources, explains Scott Jones, UD professor of accounting and director of the Business Plan Competition. "Developing a business plan is a challenging process, and the more sounding boards and feedback a participant can have, the better the outcome," stresses Jones.

Chaubard agrees, saying, "Creating a business plan allows you to solidify your thoughts and analyze every aspect of your business, and talking to a business Ph.D. about your business issues is an irreplaceable asset. A number of Pandora's boxes were opened during the development of our business plan. Had those issues stayed undiscovered, we would not have been successful."

Cash prizes and other business services are provided to the winning companies. Competition judges include venture capitalists, investment bankers and other financial investment professionals.

Mentoring opportunities are available to members of the business community who are familiar with the challenges of starting and running a business. Mentors review the student's submission, offer advice and insight helpful in refining the idea, and encourage the student to persevere through the difficult process of writing a business plan.

Interested members of the business community may contact Scott Jones for details at (302) 831-8278 or [ [email protected] ].

As for BusBookie, Chaubard says it's blossoming. "So far the demand for BusBookie.com's low prices has been substantial here at Delaware. This semester we have had six trips already, and many more in the works. We have run Phillies tailgate bus trips, Six Flags trips, Baltimore Inner Loop trips, and New York City trips. We plan to run Atlantic City trips and more District of Columbia trips. "

The Business Plan Competition was created in 2004 to find new venture ideas and build successful businesses, as well as to provide education and networking opportunities for students.

More information about this year's Business Plan Competition , including deadlines, eligibility requirements, and submission guidelines, is available at the Web site.

Information about the President's Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship is available at the Web site.

Article by Nora Riehl Zelluk Photo by Duane Perry

WomensNet News

15 Best Business Plan Competitions for Startup Entrepreneurs

March 13th 2019

by Marcia Layton Turner

Many members of the WomensNet community have asked us about more opportunities to get start-up money.  Well, here’s an idea that might help you.

Business plan creation is an exercise required of many MBA students, as a teaching tool, which is why many colleges and universities sponsor business plan competitions – to help students apply what they’ve learned in class. Winners of these contests often receive a combination of startup cash, mentoring, and other resources to help them get their venture off the ground.

A number of successful companies have come out of these competitions, which may be why more organizations and institutions of higher education have begun admitting non-students to these events. There are also business plan competitions open to anyone, student or not.

If you’re looking for ways to land early stage funding, or to network with fellow entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, it may be worth your time to enter a business plan competition. Winning means money and bragging rights, which can open doors to other opportunities.

Deadlines for entries vary throughout the year, so if you’ve missed this year’s window, next year’s window of opportunity will be here before you know it. Most have no entry fee, though you’ll want to read the fine print to see what you’re responsible for (such as travel expenses).

Here are 15 of the best business plan competitions worth your attention:

Arch Grants Global Startup Competition

For entrepreneurs currently residing in or willing to move to St. Louis, Missouri. Prizes include a $50,000 equity-free grant and free business support services, as well as becoming eligible to pursue up to $1 million in follow-on funding for winners. Idea-stage to pre-Series A companies are welcome to apply.

“Where software startups are launched” is how Codelaunch bills itself, which is a combination competition and startup networking festival held in Frisco, Texas. You need to have an idea for a software product or app to participate, with the prize being training and mentoring. There is also an annual seed accelerator for entrepreneurs with ideas for apps in search of funding.

Get in the Ring

While not as much as competition as a networking event on steroids, Get in the Ring brings together 150 startups to participate in three days of workshops to “unlock business opportunities” with 350 mentors, investors, and advisors. In Berlin.

Jack Daniels’ Pitch Distilled

According to Jack Daniels, “Pitch Distilled is a multi-city pitch competition…pairing aspiring entrepreneurs with a diverse cast of judges tasked with helping them kick-start the next big idea.” The grand prize is $5,000.

MassChallenge Accelerator

Not quite a business plan competition, MassChallenge involves selecting the “highest-impact and highest-potential startups” to participate in an accelerator program. There are locations in Boston, Rhode Island, Texas, and Switzerland. The accelerator session involves receiving mentoring, business services, and, ultimately, the chance for funding if your company is selected as a finalist.

Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition

The Milken-Penn Graduate School of Education (GSE) business plan competition may be the best-funded competition around, having awarded more than $1 million in prize money in the last ten years and sparked more than $135 million in follow-on funding. It is open to anyone in the world, but particularly “entrepreneurs with innovative ideas in education.” Its goal is to foster innovation in the field of education.

New York Start Up! 2019 Business Plan Competition

This competition is for residents of New York City, the Bronx, and Staten Island only. Businesses must not have generated more than $10,000 in revenue since startup. The top prize is $15,000, plus access to guidance and resources available through the New York Public Library.

Next Founders

Canadian entrepreneurs should apply for the annual Next Founders program, which is designed to help build the skills of the company founder(s) and provide training, mentoring, and access to capital to help scale promising business concepts and companies.

North of Boston Business Plan Competition

Entrepreneurs currently operating a business on Boston’s North Shore, or are willing to commit to locating the company in the area, are eligible to compete in this annual competition. “The purpose of the Competition is to identify and support businesses who want to grow and expand on the North Shore and thereby build the region’s economy.” The top prize is $10,000, with runner-up awards of $6,000 and $4,000.

Pistoia Alliance President’s Startup Challenge

This competition is for startups focused specifically on informatics and technology. Two winners receive six months of mentorship from industry experts and $20,000. Five finalists also receive $5,000 each.

This U.K.-based event isn’t so much about winning free cash, but about participating in a free boot camp. The top 300 startups are invited to participate, rubbing elbows with mentors and investors, as well as peers.

Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation New Venture Challenge

The Edward L. Kaplan New Venture Challenge, now based at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center, is one of the leading business accelerators. It is “a year-long business launch program” that involves idea generation, critical feedback from advisors, and pitches to the investing community.

Startup Festival

Dubbed “the music festival for startups,” the 2019 Startup Festival, held in Montreal, provides numerous opportunities for entrepreneurs to pitch their startup concept to potential investors. Those pitches could result in funding or enhanced visibility, with the chance to pitch to the crowd or a group of grandmother judges. More than $750,000 in funding is on the line here.

tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition

Students are separated into their own division in this competition for companies in the Northeast Pennsylvania region, with non-students in another. Early stage entrepreneurs from the area are welcome and can compete for prizes valued at more than $100,000. Concept must be technology-based and have had sales of no more than $250,000 in the prior 12 months to qualify for inclusion.

Y Combinator

Perhaps the best known business accelerator, Silicon Valley-based Y Combinator sponsors an annual competition to identify startups worthy of funding. Successful applicants are flown out to Mountain View, California for meetings and those funded are expected to spend 90 days in the area receiving support services.

Whether you’re looking for feedback on your new product idea, are looking for an advisory board, need space in which to locate your company, or really just need funding, these competitions will connect you with some of the most supportive startup organizations out there.

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UD business plan competition opens Sept. 7

The University of Dayton’s 2013-14 Business Plan Competition is offering a record $190,000 in total support to help entrepreneurs develop plans to turn an idea into a successful business.

The competition will hold its first information session 5:30 p.m. Sept. 6 in O’Leary Auditorium in Miriam Hall on the UD campus. The competition is open to all types of business plans, including nonprofit ventures. High-tech companies are especially encouraged and anyone can enter.

There is no cost to enter, but participants must register online at http://www.udayton.edu/business/udbpc. Registration opens Sept. 7 and closes Oct. 12. Winners are announced in April.

New this year, the first-place team will win professional sales training from the University’s Center for Professional Selling, and training and development assistance from the University of Dayton’s Center for Leadership. Both services are valued at $5,000 each.

“Entrepreneurs must by necessity sell their business ideas to investors as well as sell products and services to customers,” said Diane Sullivan, associate professor of management and competition coordinator. “The selling center’s staff is highly experienced and the training facility is state-of-the-art. This will be a valuable resource for the winner.”

Finalists also will receive up to 25 hours of free legal assistance, a part of the prize package worth nearly $23,000 through the University of Dayton School of Law. That assistance is often necessary because successful start-ups often must navigate legal issues ranging from incorporation, how to do patent searches, filing for patents and protecting intellectual property, Sullivan said.

A total of $80,000 in cash prizes, awarded across three stages of the competition, includes $25,000 for the best business plan. Each of the five finalists will win a minimum of $5,000. The first-place winner of the competition will also earn an opportunity to pitch Draper Triangle LLC, for up to $50,000 in investment.

Each entry receives free access to Palo Alto Software’s cloud-based business planning software, valued at $180.

The competition is aimed at helping start-ups reach the next level of growth by offering expert advice on building a viable plan for launching or growing an innovative business.

Entries must be original work, involve a start-up company and mesh with the University of Dayton’s values. Competition rules require that final-round entries must involve either a University of Dayton student or graduate.

The Business Plan Competition has been recognized as one of the 15 largest college business plan competitions by Under30CEO.com, a news and trend media site for young entrepreneurs.

The University of Dayton is recognized nationally for its innovative programs for student entrepreneurs. The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine ranked the entrepreneurship program as one of the top-20 programs in the nation the past seven years.

All sophomore entrepreneurship majors are given $5,000 loans from the Crotty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership to start their own businesses. Flyer Angels gives undergraduates hands-on experience in investing in new businesses.

For more information on the competition visit http://www.udbpc.com or contact Diane Sullivan at [email protected].