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Note: Most competitions included below are held annually, see each link for up-to-date deadlines and eligibility.
Rutgers Competitions:
Rutgers ScarletPitch – UpitchNJ and Hult Prize are celebrating 10 years in 2025! Go here for details on ScarletPitch, an exciting new Rutgers-wide competition that encompasses UpitchNJ and Hult Prize.
The Rutgers Business School Annual Business Plan Competition is a great opportunity to transform your business idea into reality. Get a chance to win total cash prizes worth $50,000.The first step is to send in a 1-page executive summary to Professor Brownstone anytime from early September to mid-December. The earlier you submit, the better. Several executive summaries will be chosen and asked to submit a full business plan per the rules on this site. These business plans will be presented on our pitch day in April. for the $50,000 in prizes. Open to all RBS students. Some restrictions apply for team leadership roles. Apply for 2025 by mid-December.
New Jersey Competitions:
New Jersey Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) – Global competition for current undergraduate and graduate students with entrepreneurial minds, a growing business, and a desire to connect, the GSEA Awards offers chosen applicants exposure and networking opportunities with top entrepreneurs in their respective fields. Regional competitions are held in January. Regional finalists have a chance to compete in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards held each Spring. Join the mailing list at the above link to learn more. Applications are due on January 4, 2025. The competition is January 24,2024 Apply at https://gsea.org/apply/
Nationwide Student Competitions:
MIT Climate and Energy Prize – The 2025 MIT Climate and Energy Prize (MIT CEP) features nine tracks for prospective teams. The purpose of these tracks is to encourage a diversity of clean energy technologies and solutions, as well as to pair teams with appropriate industry mentors to maximize their chances of success. Tracks include Energy; Food and Land Use; Built Environment;Transportation; GHG Capture & Removal; Water Resources; Industrial Decarbonization; Climate Services & Software; Climate Adaptation. Final application deadline is January 10, 2025. Apply here
TCU’s Richards Barrentine Values and Ventures® Competition – This competition is limited to undergraduate college students; team must have at least 2 members. Ventures submitted must be for-profit, values-centered enterprises. Nonprofit ventures are not allowed. Plans must demonstrate a societal or environmental need to be filled, as well as the profitability of the business. Teams must have a faculty/staff sponsor who will authenticate that the business plan was prepared under faculty supervision or as part of regular university coursework. $100k grand prize. The application deadline is January 17, 2025; you must create an account to apply. The final competition will be held April 4 -6, 2025.
E-fest (formerly Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge) – Undergraduate students in North America are encouraged to form teams and submit their Social Venture pitches for a chance at $250K in Cash Prizes. e-Fest is a 3-day event each April in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship. Development Grant Applications close on January 31, 2025 Competition applications open on January 8, and close on March 2, 2025, 11:59 p.m. (PST) 2025 Competition will be April 24 – 26. Details and sign-ups are here.
The Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge – The Fowler GSIC inspires student social entrepreneurs around the world to connect and create business solutions that address social and environmental challenges. The 2025 Global Finals will be held May 30-31 in Minneapolis, MN. How it works: Teams should have 1 – 5 members; a solution to a social or environmental challenge and a prototypes ready or already launched. Pitch your idea for up to $75,000+ in funding. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2025. See details and apply here
Rice Business Plan Competition – This is the World’s richest and largest graduate-level student startup competition. The 2021 Competition will be announced early in the year. Registration will typically open in mid-May. Add RBPC@rice.edu to your contacts for news, updates, and reminders. The Rice Business Plan Competition takes place in Houston, Texas. $1.5 million in cash and prizes. The 2025 application is open. application deadline is January 27, 2025. The event is held in April. See key dates here.
UBS Pitch Competition – The UBS Pitch competition is designed to provide students from participating universities an opportunity to use their skills to build innovative solutions to problems faced by the financial industry and government bodies. The competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate students in the US. Each year the competition focuses on a new challenge and grows with more states participating and exciting opportunities to collaborate! For details, it is recommended that you attend a webinar. These are typically held in early February The registration deadline is usually in February. As of Jan. 2, 2025 Competition details had not yet been announced.
Draper Competition for Collegiate Women Entrepreneurs – The Draper Competition is the only national competition specifically spotlighting, supporting and funding UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN founders! In the past, teams competed for $100,000 in cash and in-kind prizes and a $25,000 Grand Prize ; teams were invited to Smith College for the final event and applied in one of the following tracks: product, service, social impact, web/mobile app or general. The competition is being revamped; details for 2025 have not yet been announced. Check the website for details.
New Venture Championship – https://www.futurefounders.com/u-pitch/ – date not announced, sign up for their mailing list