Startup Showcase Guidelines

Welcome! We hope you decide to apply to the 2021 Startup Showcase competition. Below are some additional tips and information to help you understand the application, the competition phases, and the judging process.

• Make sure you are eligible per the rules on our web site.
• Please fill out the online form thoroughly. Incomplete applications will be rejected. You will access the application below.
• The deadline to enter is Friday, October 1. This is firm — no late admissions. Applicants must submit a video as the preliminary and first stage of the competition. The video must not exceed 3:00 minutes. Acceptable formats are .mp4, mp3, avi, or wmv. Applicants should consider including the following information in their video:
  • A concise but complete description of your business idea to include the product or service
  • What problem the idea solves and/or new market it creates
  • Identification of the market to include the direct and indirect customers and stakeholders
  • Mention of direct and indirect competitive forces
  • The scalability of the idea (Can it be expanded?)
  • Broad statement about financial predictions of break-even or profit potential

Creativity and design features of the video are left to each entrant with an understanding the intrigue factor of the presentation may impact judges. A group of university faculty will judge all videos and select the finalists. Ten finalists will be invited to present at the competition. Finalists will be notified of their selection within one week after the deadline to submit applications has passed.