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Internal WFU Grants and Competitions

New Venture Seed Grant


    Purpose: The University Center for Entrepreneurship seeks to encourage innovative thinking about ways in which members of the Wake Forest community can leverage their disciplinary interests and skills to create sustainable value and make a difference. We define value broadly, meaning it can be social, intellectual, and/or economic value. As part of this mission, the University Center for Entrepreneurship provides small seed grants to students and student teams interested in launching an entrepreneurial venture.

    Eligibility: This grant is open to all current Wake Forest students, across all departments and degree programs, on both the Reynolda and Bowman Gray campuses. Applications are encouraged from individuals and groups who are simply at the idea stage, as well as those who are already engaged in starting up a venture. There is a fall and spring submission date.

    Categories of Proposals: We define “new ventures” very broadly. For example, new ventures may be either profit or not-for-profit ventures. They may be based in or leverage the knowledge of any discipline. In fact, we seek new ventures in five categories that span the Wake Forest community:

  • Arts and Performing Arts (art, dance, music, theatre)
  • Humanities (history, languages, literature, philosophy,religion
  • Social Sciences
  • Natural Sciences
  • Web-Based
  • Other commercial ventures

Proposals judged to be superior in each category are eligible to receive a modest seed grant. Amounts will be determined on a case by case basis, but will not exceed $1,000 per proposal. Students may apply more than once after showing progress from previous funding. The funds should be used to assist the proposal author(s) in researching the idea and starting up the venture. Grants are for WFU Students Only.

Click here for the Fall 2009 Application Packet.

 The Application Deadline for Fall 2009 is October 1.
For more information on the New Venture Seed Grant, contact John Ceneviva -- This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Bren Varner -- This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Individuals receiving a grant will be required to make a presentation to the Entrepreneurship Advisory Council on the morning of Oct. 9th. Information regarding these presentations will be distributed at a later date.


Babcock Elevator Competition

This exciting national business plan competition literally takes student entrepreneurs from the ground floor to the boardroom. Staged at Wachovia Bank, teams present their plans to venture capitalists during two, two-minute elevator rides. The top teams advance to full presentations made to an expanded group of venture capitalists. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 cash, $40,000 in professional services, a meeting with an appropriate venture capitalist, and automatic entry into the Global Moot Corp Competition. Each of the semi-finalist teams will receive $1,000 cash upon completion of competition.

Each team entering the Babcock Elevator Competition must include at least one currently enrolled graduate business student.
For more information on the details of the competition, visit the Babcock Elevator Competition website.