Opportunities for Students in Spring 2026

At the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center, we understand the importance of gaining exposure and turning ideas into action. Every year, multiple business plan competitions open, encouraging students to move beyond theory, test their ideas, and gain confidence in sharing their vision with others.

As we welcome the Spring 2026 semester, university students from a wide range of backgrounds are invited to participate. Whether you are at an early stage, developing a class project, or starting your entrepreneurial journey, these opportunities can serve as a learning experience and exposure tool.

Learning Through the Process

The competitive nature of these events sometimes obscures the real benefit of participating, apart from winning funds and awards (which is great), the learning gain is unparalleled. Preparing for submission teaches students to think critically about the problem they want to solve, their audience, and how feasible their ideas are. Along the way, students gain research experience, communication and storytelling skills, fundamental for their development as entrepreneurs.

What is Happening in Spring 2026?

Empower Innovation shares different competitions that go from early-stage business ideas, social impact and community ventures or technology, innovation, and creative industries to interdisciplinary student team events.

• Baylor New Venture Competition: This business plan and elevator pitch competition showcases collegiate student created, managed and led ventures from across the globe. PRIZE: $50,000 DEADLINE: Aug 1^st-Oct 1^st
• Dempsey Start Up Competition: The Dempsey Startup Competition (Dempsey Startup), organized by the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, provides a real-world experience for student entrepreneurs, promoting student ideas and new venture creation to the entrepreneurial community. PRIZE: $2.9 M
• Environmental Innovation Challenge: The Environmental Innovation Challenge is an exciting extracurricular experience that gives students the opportunity to come up with meaningful solutions to big problems the world faces related to climate and the environment. DEADLINE: Feb 9^TH 2026
• Heartland Challenge Start Up Competition: The Heartland Challenge is designed to mimic the real-world process of raising capital for a high-growth venture
• Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge: Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge is an exciting extracurricular competition that gives students the opportunity to come up with meaningful solutions to big problems the world faces today related to health. DEADLINE: Feb 2^ND 2026
• Hult Prize Competition: The Hult Prize is a year-long program that challenges students to build for-profit startups that tackle global issues. PRIZE: $1M DEADLINE: JAN 30^st 2026
• Love’s Entrepreneur’s Cup: The Entrepreneur’s Cup is a statewide collegiate business plan competition that empowers Oklahoma students to develop and pitch innovative business ideas. PRIZE: $170,000
• Rice Business Plan Competition 2026: The Rice Business Plan Competition exists so that graduate student founders pushing to create new possibilities in technology, energy, healthcare and more can surround themselves with a powerful network. PRIZE: $1,000,000 DEADLINE: Jan 31^st 2026
• Stu Clark New Venture Championships: The Stu Clark New Venture Championships is a premier business plan competition for student entrepreneurs across the globe. PRIZE: $72,000 DEADLINE: Mar 10^st 2026
• The Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge: Ventures must align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. While non students may be part of the founding team, student founders are required to pitch at the Global Finals. PRIZE: $175,000 DEADLINE: June 2^nd 2026

• TigerLaunch Entrepreneurship Competition: TigerLaunch hosts regional events around the world, connecting student entrepreneurs with local ecosystems and international opportunities.PRIZE: $60,000
• Tulane Business Model Competition: The Tulane Business Model Competition awards funding to early-stage student ventures that can demonstrate how they are adapting to their customers’ needs. Values and Ventures Competition: We celebrate trailblazing college students who leverage their business skills and innovation to solve the world’s problems.PRIZE: $125,000 DEADLINE: Jan 19th 2026

Moving From Ideas to Action

At the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center, we encourage students to explore opportunities that challenge them to step outside their comfort zones. Business plan competitions provide a structured yet supportive environment to do exactly that.

For students considering entrepreneurship or simply curious about turning ideas into action, Winter and Spring 2026 offer a valuable window to begin.