Important Dates
Submission Deadline:
February 28, 2024, by midnight
Final "LIVE" Competition: May 2, 2024
Competition Rules and Eligibility
The UBalt Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation's annual "Rise to the Challenge" Pitch Competition offers prize packages of cash awards and in-kind professional services.
The competition consists of two categories combined into one event:
- Aspiring Business Idea
- Existing Businesses
This competition could be just what you need to bring your unique idea to fruition or take your existing business to the next level.
Rules and Requirements
- Open to all currently enrolled University of Baltimore students and Recent Alumni (graduated after May 2015).
- Competition has two categories:
I. Aspiring Business Idea
Aspiring Business Idea Eligibility:
- Current UBalt students, or alumni who graduated after May 2015
- An idea for a business earning revenue and/or external investment less than $5,000 (pre- revenue)
- Previous Aspiring Business Idea winners for this competition are NOT eligible
II. Existing Business
Existing Business Eligibility:
- Current UBalt student or alumni who have graduated after May 2015
- Business generating revenue, or has external investment of more than $5,000
- Previous first-place winners for this or the Attman competition are NOT eligible
Individual or team entries:
Team requirements:
- Max five (5) members per team
- Participants can join only one team
- Teams must be formed at time of entry
- Cash prizes will be equally distributed among all team members
- Participants can have only one entry (individual or team member)
Submission requirements for all categories:
- Complete online entry application
- Submit a one-minute video pitch
- Executive summary not more than (2) two pages (Financials as Appendix accepted)
- Submissions may be revised up until deadline (February 28, 2024, at midnight).
- Participants may not contact judges during the course of the competition.
- The proposed or existing idea should, to the best of your knowledge, not be in violation of any intellectual property right.
- Entries that do not meet the above rules and requirements will automatically be disqualified.
- Intellectual Property: Ideas have little value until they are developed into actual companies or have issued patents. With that said, you should only disclose information with which you are comfortable. At this juncture, it is not necessary to explain exactly how you do something to the point that it might give away secrets. However, realize the opportunity and how you can take advantage of it.
Competition Breakdown
Time Line
January 31, 2024 | Contest Opens for Submission | |
February 28, 2024 | Submissions Deadline (at midnight) | |
March 7, 2024 | Finalists Announced | |
May 2, 2024 | Live Finale Competition, 5:30 to 8 p.m. |
Location: Final “Live” Competition – Wright Theater, 5th Floor in the Student Center
1st Round:
- Entrants MUST register HERE
- Electronic submission of:
- Complete entry application
- Submit a one-minute video pitch
- Executive summary not more than (2) two pages (Financials as Appendix accepted)
- Each first round submission will be reviewed and judged according to:
- Identifying the target customer
- Understanding of competitors
- Market opportunities and competition
- Product/Service viability
- Business model sustainability
- Overall attractiveness of the opportunity
Final "Live" Round
- On May 2, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., contestants present their business pitch in three (3) minutes or less to a panel of judges.
- Entrants who do not present in the final round will be disqualified.
- Judges’ decisions are final.