Jabs Hall aerial photo

Event Details

The 5th annual MSU $100K Venture Competition is scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, 2024 from 5:00-7:00 pm in Inspiration Hall, in Norm Asbjornson Hall.

Eligibility & Application Process

  • Open to all Montana University System (MUS) affiliated campuses: undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff, and recent MUS system alumni (10 years or less). 
  • Venture award winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd place) from previous MSU $50K or $75K Venture Competitions are not eligible to complete.
  • Venture must not have received any institutional funding (Venture Capital or Angel) at this time, but grants including SBIR/STTR or MSU/UM funding is allowed. 
  • All types of ventures are welcome, including but not limited to new products, services, non-profit ventures, and social impact focus.

*If you do not qualify to compete in this event, we have other services available and would love to connect with you. Please contact us at [email protected] or click here to schedule a meeting with the LaunchPad.

Application deadline was Sunday, April 7 at 11:59 pm.

Additionally, your team is encouraged you to use our Launchpad as a resource to discuss your Venture and the application.  You can schedule a meeting here: http://www.montana.edu/launchpad/schedule.html.

We will review all submissions and select a group of either semi-finalists or finalists.  Note: If a semi-finalist round is needed, we will provide additional details and requirements for that new round in the process. 

All finalists will be paired with a coach, and we will require a finalist presentation coaching session prior to the public event. 

The finalists will present Ventures on April 24th. This event is open to the public for viewing and we will be featuring several Montana and regional business leaders and investors as our judges!

Timeline

April 8th -April 11th: Application review and questions

April 12th: Semi-Finalists (if round needed) notified, or Finalists notified

Week of April 15th and April 19th:  Semi-Finalist Round (if needed) and/or Finalist Round Draft pitches 

April 24th, 5 pm -7 pm:  Finals MSU $100K Venture Competition, Inspiration Hall

Prizes

This unique event will feature $100,000 in prize money as well as access to experienced entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and numerous network resources. Aside from monetary prizes, participants will receive valuable feedback from judges and capture the attention of investors, potential customers, and supporters.

Need Assistance?

Schedule an appointment with the LaunchPad for venture coaching: https://www.montana.edu/launchpad/schedule.html

Questions? Contact the LaunchPad: [email protected] or 406-994-4383.

 

Click here to view past events and winners.