Join our elevator pitch contest for a chance to win $50,000 for your business idea!

WashU Olin’s BIG IdeaBounce® powered by Poets&Quants is a pitch contest open to all current undergraduate and graduate school students OR any prospect interested in a graduate business school degree. 

The contest is set up in three rounds:

• Round 1:  Submit your idea in the fields below to be entered (open through January 7, 2022)
• Round 2:  Selected teams will be asked to submit a 2-minute pitch video
• Round 3:  *Top 3 teams will present in front of judges (March 3, 2022)s (on March 3, 2022)*

THE SKINNY

*Open to all current undergraduate and graduate school students OR any prospect interest in a graduate business school degree.
*Come up with an original business idea (either “for profit”, “nonprofit”, and/or with “social/environmental/sustainable impact).
*Follow the judging methodology (below) when organizing your pitch.
*Entries will be screened by a panel of initial judges. Entries selected to continue will go before a panel of final judges.
*All ideas that advance to the final presentation will receive personalized feedback from a panel of experienced judges and mentors.
*Our goal is to have the final three teams present to judges in-person on WashU Olin’s campus. A team stipend will be provided for travel. WashU Olin and P&Q will monitor the CDC and St. Louis COVID-19 guidelines. If needed, the final round will be virtual.

JUDGING METHODOLOGY:

*Problem: the significance of the problem/issue being addressed? 0-10
*Solution: How adequately does the product/solution address the problem? 0-10
*Market: the target customer market is significant, well defined, and growing? 0-10
*Competition: the solution is clearly differentiated from its competitors? 0-10
*Value Creation: clearly articulated potential for sustainability — revenue, profits, and/or measurable social/environmental impact? 0-10
*Investment Needed: how the prize money will be used to further develop the next steps of the concept? 0-10
*Team: the team has the skills, experience, and credentials to actually execute the concept? 0-10
*Presentation: (only for Round 2/video submission) overall pitch presentation, organization and passion? 0-10

QUESTIONS?

Send an email to:
Rian Edwards at rianedwards@wustl.edu

CONFIDENTIALITY

There are no confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements as part of this competition. Submitting to the contest has the potential of releasing your idea to the world. However, given this does not reveal a fully detailed business plan, your risks are minimal. But if you have a “trade secret” or patentable idea, you might simply allude to that in your pitch without actually revealing the details. It is up to you how much to reveal.

ABOUT IDEABOUNCE®

IdeaBounce® is a registered trademark of Washington University’s Skandalaris Center and has been made available to university and community partners that are working to expand entrepreneurship and inclusivity in innovation for everyone. IdeaBounce® is a platform for sharing ideas at all stages and a network of users that want to support each other and the entrepreneurial ambitions of our community members.