The Innovation Challenge: Preliminary Round

The Innovation Challenge is the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurships' premier pitch event. Startups work closely with the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship team to create a polished pitch deck and present their startup plan to a panel of esteemed judges and compete for a coveted spot in the Innovation Challenge Final. All competitors must submit a business model canvas and executive summary to compete; prototypes are welcome and encouraged! Each startup will have five minutes to pitch their idea with slides, Q+A to follow. This competition will be held in-person. The winners from the Innovation Challenge: Preliminary Round will be announced shortly after the competition and move onto the Final on April 13th to compete for up to $65,000 in equity-free funding!

Application Timeline: December 3 - February 16, 2022 at 11:59 PM EST
The IC Preliminary Pitch Camp: 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | February 24, 2022 (Required; Competitors Only)
Competition Date: All Day, In-Person | March 2, 2022
Award: Spot in the IC Final; Each finalist will automatically receive $1,000 from the $65,000 prize pool

Learn more about the competition and eligibility rules here: https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/centers/berthiaume-center-for-entrepreneurship/innovation-challenge/compete

Questions? Email: berthiaume@umass.edu