Compete : Isenberg School of Management : UMass Amherst

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) Academy Competitions The Minute Pitch (Oct. 11, 2022, in-person) applications open Sept. 1 | application due Sept. 22, 2022, 11:59 p.m. APPLY T

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) Academy Competitions

The Minute Pitch (Oct. 11, 2022, in-person) applications open Sept. 1 | application due Sept. 22, 2022, 11:59 p.m. APPLY
The Business Plan Competition (no pitch competition) applications open Sept. 1 | application due Sept. 22, 2022, 11:59 p.m. APPLY
The Executive Pitch (Nov. 8, 2022, in-person, closed door) applications open Sept 20th| application due Oct. 20, 2022, 11:59 p.m.
The Tech Challenge (Nov. 7, 2022, in-person, closed door) applications open Sept 20th | application due Oct. 20, 2022, 11:59 p.m.
The Social Entrepreneurship Challenge (Nov. 9, 2022, in-person, closed door) applications open Sept 20th| application due Oct. 20, 2022, 11:59 p.m.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Awards & Networking Night (Nov. 16, 2022). Meet the UMass I&E community and find out who the winners are from the Executive Pitch Competition, the Tech Challenge, and the Social Entrepreneurship Challenge campus competition!

The Innovation Challenge Competition

Innovation Challenge: The Preliminary Round (April 5th, 2023, in-person) applications open February 8 | application due March 23, 11:59 p.m.
Innovation Challenge: The Final (May 3, 2023, in-person) Judges select competitors during The Preliminary Round.

How to Apply

1. Review the eligibility requirements below.

2. Submit the application form by the respective deadline. We will not accept late submissions for any reason.

Eligibility Requirements

Submitted applications are used to confirm the eligibility of the team members, advisor(s), and technology; in addition, the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship reserves the right to disqualify any team, at any time, for not meeting our terms and conditions.

Each team must meet and agree to the following eligibility requirements to compete in any stage of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Academy & the Innovation Challenge:

Expand Section Team

At least one team member must be an active UMass Amherst student (any level) or recent UMass Amherst alumnus (graduate of the last decade). This team member must also hold a significant position on th

At least one team member must be an active UMass Amherst student (any level) or recent UMass Amherst alumnus (graduate of the last decade). This team member must also hold a significant position on the team i.e., a C-Suite level position on the team; a UMass student intern working for a startup may not apply to compete on behalf of the startup.
Student entrepreneurs may compete as solopreneurs (team of one person) or with multiple team members.
Team members are restricted to participation in a single team.
At least one team member must complete all application requirements including but not limited to office hours, attending required pitch camps, and respond to all communication from the BCE program team.
Startups who previously competed in the Innovation Challenge: Final and did not win funding are still eligible to compete in any stage of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Academy and the Innovation Challenge.
Startups who previously competed in the Innovation Challenge: Final and won funding are not eligible to compete in any stage of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Academy Competitions or the Innovation Challenge.
Secured Capital Arrangements
The amount and source of secured capital arrangements must be identified and disclosed to the Berthiaume Center and included in your application.
Teams with funding over $250,000 from sources outside of their members are not eligible to compete.
If at any time during the competition a team receives funding from sources outside of its members that put them in excess of the allowed $250,000, they will be disqualified.
Competing startups that no-show to the competition will forfeit their participation in all BCE competitions for the academic year.

Expand Section Qualifying Ideas and Ownership of Concept/Technology

Expand Section Awards

Disclaimers:

The Berthiaume Center reserves the right to disqualify any venture that, in their sole discretion, violates the letter or of the spirit of the competition guidelines and rules.
The Berthiaume Center assumes no responsibility to ensure the confidentiality of any information disclosed by competitors during public competitions.
All decisions regarding the competition rules, procedures, and processes are at the sole discretion of the Berthiaume Center leadership. Changes and/or interpretations of these rules may be made by the Berthiaume Center leadership at any time, even though they may be (or may appear to be) in conflict with previously published information.
The selection of the teams to compete and the decision of the winners are at the sole discretion of the judges and the Berthiaume Center leadership.
Prize money will not be released until the prize distribution form has been finalized, signed by all team members, and returned to the Berthiaume Center. All paperwork must be submitted within the 12-month grace period.

Contact Us

Incubator Space: 301/302 Bartlett Hall
Executive Offices: Business Innovation Hub N175

UMass Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003
berthiaume@umass.edu

Main line: 413-545-9482
Operations, Space and Student Engagement: 413-545-9283