Startup Challenge
The Startup Challenge is a hands-on program tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs, providing guidance to develop their own startup that addresses a real-world problem.
Apply to Startup Challenge
Deadline: February 3, 2026
The program provides tools and guidance to brainstorm, validate, and refine ideas from the ground up, ensuring a solid foundation for each participant. Each workshop will include interactive activities, group discussions, and hands-on exercises to ensure participants engage deeply with the material and leave with tangible outputs.
The program is hosted at the beginning of each Fall and Winter semester. Please check our Events Page for the next Startup Challenge.
Challenge Format
The Startup Challenge includes four in-person workshops held on Thursdays (except Reading Week) from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Ronald D. Schmeichel Building for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Each week, participants will also have a brief one-on-one advisor meeting during drop-in hours from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, before Thursday's workshops. These sessions provide personalized feedback and support to help participants refine their ideas and overcome challenges
Final Pitch Competition
The Startup Challenge culminates in an exciting final pitch competition, where the top 10 participants showcase their startups to a panel of judges. Teams will be competing for a chance to win up to $1,750 from a total prize pool of $4,000.
To qualify for the final pitch competition, participants must:
- Attend all workshops and advisory sessions
- Complete deliverables each week
- Show progress towards developing their start-up.