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National Competitions for Students

Many national competitions, grants, and awards are available for students wishing to compete or apply.
A partial list of national competitions is included below:

    Undergraduate Competitions

  • Global Social Entrepreneurship Competition (GSEC)
    • Hosted by the University of Washington Global Business Center

    GSEC invites students from around the world—-and across fields of study—-to propose creative, commercially viable business plans aimed at reducing poverty in the developing world.

    GSEC teams receive business plan mentoring, gain exposure to and network with potential investors, and compete for up to $20,000 in prize money, including two global health prizes.

    GSEC offers students the chance to meet leading social entrepreneurs and develop the skills to create successful social enterprises. Participants work in teams and are judged on their plan’s impact on quality of life, financial sustainability and feasibility of implementation.

    Application deadline: November 11, 2009
    Click here for application and program details.

  • Collegiate Inventors Competition
    • Sponsored by the Abbott Fund and The United States Patent and Trademark Office

    From the Collegiate Inventors Competition Committee: "Introduced in 1990, the Collegiate Inventors Competition has rewarded and encouraged hundreds of students to share their inventive ideas with the world. The Competition promotes exploration in invention, science, engineering, technology, and other creative endeavors and provides a window on the future technologies from which society will benefit in the future."

    Up to 15 finalists will receive an all-expenses paid trip to present their work to a Blue Ribbon Panel of judges in Fall 2009. One Undergraduate and one Graduate winner or team will each receive $15,000. One Grand Prize winner or team will receive $25,000. Academic advisors of the Graduate and Undergraduate winners will each receive $5,000 and the advisor to the Grand Prize student will receive $15,000.

    Click here for entry forms, information regarding eligibility and judging criteria.

  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln 22nd Annual New Ventures World Competition

    • (Previous International Business Plan Competition)
    March 26, 27, & 28, 2009
    Embassy Suites; Lincoln, NE
    From the UNL committee: “The Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship announces our 22nd Annual New Ventures World Competition. Our goal is to improve the chances of entrepreneurial success by exposing students to quality feedback, investment opportunities, and a chance to see some of the most competitive and innovative entrepreneurial enterprises in the world!”

    The competition is open to all full and part time graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in a college or university during the 2008-2009 academic year. Graduate First Prize is $7,000 and the Undergraduate First Prize is $4,000. Please check the website for updates about the 2009 competition. Each team must submit an Intent to Compete form, a Team Eligibility form, and an Executive Summary no later than January 30, 2009. For more information on rules and requirement entries click here.

  • Boise State University- Northwest Venture Championship

    • From the Boise State committee: “The Northwest Venture Championship® is a 3 day event designed to help students develop business ideas into viable commercial enterprises. In 2002, we started as a small, nine team regional competition with undergraduate students competing against graduate students. Over the years, we have been fortunate to grow into an international business plan competition that welcomes students and faculty from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australia. The competition provides students a professional forum for practicing the skills critical to their future successes, helping them transform their dreams into realities. Many students competing in the event launch their own businesses, thereby creating economic value, expanding employment opportunities and enhancing the tax base."

    Please check the website for updates

  • Ball State University- Nascent 500 Business Plan Challenge

    • Twelve semi-finalist teams are selected, based on submitted business plans and are invited to Indianapolis, Indiana andare awarded $500.  Nex, they get 500 words to earn pole position and 500 seconds (about 8 minutes) to pitch their business plan in the back of a limousine as it travels around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    Four teams advance to the "Homestretch" round and present their plans for a chance to win more than $18,000 in prizes.  The winning team receives a victory lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a quart of milk, and a $10,000 prize.

    Follow this Link to keep abreast of future competition deadlines and postings.

     

  • Queen’s University- Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition

    • From the Queen’s U Committee: “The Queen’s Entrepreneurs’ Competition is an international business plan competition that allows university students from around the world to unite, present their innovative ideas and develop their entrepreneurial skills, with a chance to win over $25,000 in awards. The competition, which takes place annually at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, is entirely organized by undergraduate students of the Queen’s School of Business. QEC  continues to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation among today’s youth while preparing them for the challenges of a global marketplace.”

    Click here for more information and contest guidelines for the 2010 competition.

  • Colorado State University- CSU Venture Adventure

    • From the Colorado State Committee: “Venture Adventure gives undergraduate students the opportunity to present their ideas and plans for realistic new ventures to a panel of judges made up of entrepreneurs and investors. Teams receive valuable feedback from the judging panel that offers them insights into "real world" entrepreneurial challenges and allows them to focus on sharpening their business planning and presentation skills. Further, students hear about the work of others nationwide and discover different ways of planning and presenting their ideas. This year's participants report that the judges' feedback was "priceless" and as good as professional consulting.”

  • The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards

    • The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards recognize those outstanding undergraduate student entrepreneurs who are simultaneously juggling course work and cash flows - and succeeding at both! We understand the importance of encouraging entrepreneurship in students. This new generation of risk takers will help create the economic foundation of tomorrow.
    Click here to learn more.

Graduate Competitions

  • Wake Forest University

    • Elevator Competition
    The Elevator Competition, which was first held in 2000, allows MBA students from schools across the country to test their skills at making the perfect elevator pitch. Each student team is required to perform a two-minute pitch, supply a detailed business plan, and prepare a formal presentation of their business venture. 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.
    Follow this link for more details.
    Winston-Salem, NC

  • University of Cincinnati

    • Spirit of Enterprise
    MBA student competition with up to $20,000 in grants and awards for the most innovative and commercially viable business plans.
    Follow this link for more details.
    Cincinnati, OH

  • University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    • New Ventures World Competition
    An opportunity for MBA students to improve entrepreneurial success by exposure to quality feedback, investment opportunities, and advice from innovative entrepreneurial enterprises.
    Follow this link for more details.
    Lincoln, NE

  • Boise State University

    • Northwest Venture Championship
    A 2 day business plan competition for students to develop business plans -- presenting their ideas before a panel of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and other business support professionals.
    Follow this link for more details.
    Boise, ID

  • Carnegie-Mellon University

    • McGinnis Venture Competition
    A venture competition for MBA students that focuses on bringing new technologies to market through entrepreneurship. Features two tracks: Technology and Life Science.
    Follow this link for details.
    Pittsburgh, PA

  • Diego State University

    • Venture Challenge
    Gives graduate students from around the world an opportunity to seek investment capital for their business ideas and the chance to win $20,000 in prizes.
    Follow this link for details.
    San Diego, CA

  • Rice University Business Plan Competition

    • Thirty-six teams from top MBA programs will be selected to compete at Rice University, in Houston Texas, for over $285,000 in prizes; including an investment opportunity of $100,000.
    Follow this link for details.
    Houston, TX

  • University of San Francisco

    • USF-PSI International Business Plan Competition
    A graduate business plan competition that envisions entrepreneurship as Passion in Action, and awards grants and prizes to top competing teams throughout the nation.
    Follow this link for details.
    San Francisco, CA

  • University of Manitoba

    • Stuart Clark Venture Challenge
    Open to graduate students from across Canada and the US, offering the opportunity to win a berth in the prestigious MOOT Corp. while also having a shot at $48,000 in prizes.
    Follow this link for more details.
    Winnipeg, MB Canada

  • University of Oregon

    • New Venture Championship (NVC)
    The NVC offers $70,000 in cash prizes and attracts collegiate teams from across the nation and around the world at a competition designed to provide a unique learning environment for future business leaders of the 21st century.
    Follow this link for more details.
    Portland, OR

  • Jungle Magazine

    • Jungle Business Plan Challenge
    Judges will assess graduate business plans according to one simple criterion: Potential to earn venture capital funding for the proposed business. Competitors must convince the judges that their proposal can achieve commercial success in the market. Any original idea for creating a high-growth business is fair game for submission.
    Follow this link for details.

  • University of Texas at Austin

    • MOOT Corp.
    Crowned the "Super Bowl of world business plan competition," the Global Moot Corp Competition will be held at The University of Texas at Austin campus. Participation is through invitation or by winning other competitions. This year, 19 teams will qualify for the Global Moot Corp Competition by winning other competitions. Follow this link for details.
    Austin, TX