Rice Business Plan Competition

Published February 2, 2023 · Updated February 1, 2023

Apply for the 2023 competition to meet investors, pitch your startup and receive mentoring to take your startup to the next level.

The competition, now in its 23rd year, gives collegiate entrepreneurs real-world experience to pitch their startups, enhance their business strategy and learn what it takes to launch a successful company. Hosted and organized by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship—which is Rice University’s internationally-recognized initiative devoted to the support of entrepreneurship—and Rice Business.

The competition is designed to give collegiate entrepreneurs a real-world experience to pitch their startups to investors, receive mentoring, network with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, enhance their startup strategy, and learn what it takes to launch a successful startup.

Focus Areas

Energy, Cleantech and Sustainability
(including but not limited to): Agriculture/Agtech, Batteries & Storage, Decarbonization/Climate Tech, Energy Infrastructure, Oil & Gas Technologies, Renewable/Alternative Energy, Recycling, New and Non-Carbon Fuels, Transportation/Electric Vehicles, Water
Hard Tech
(including but not limited to): Advanced Manufacturing, Advanced Materials, Aerospace/Spacetech, AR & VR (augmented & virtual reality), Autonomous Vehicles, Drones, Machine Learning and AI (Artificial Intelligence), Quantum Computing, Robotics, Smart Sensors
Life Sciences and Healthcare Solutions
(including but not limited to): Aging/Gerontology, Biotech, Diagnostics, Digital Health, Disease Management, Public Health, Medical Devices, Personalized Medicine, Pharma & Therapeutics, Prevention
Digital Enterprise
(including but not limited to): Big Data, Blockchain, Cyber/IoT Security, Cloud & Edge Computing, Enterprise Software, Fintech, Media & Advertising, SportsTech, Supply Chain/Logistics, Workforce
Consumer Products and Services (including but not limited to): Analytics, Consumer Web, Education/EdTech, Food & Drink, Gaming, Mobile, Personal Devices, Social Impact, Subscription Services, Wearables & Clothing

Award Details

This will be the 23rd year of the competition! In that time, it has grown from nine teams competing for $10,000 in prize money in 2001, to 42 teams from around the world competing for more than $1.5 million in cash and prizes.

Benefits

They provide an intense, immersive experience over the course of three days for student startup founders to pitch to investors, receive multiple rounds of feedback and advance their startup.
There will be over $1 million in prizes, and all 42 teams who compete at Rice University in Houston are guaranteed to win cash prizes. Currently, the minimum cash prize is $800 and the grand prize winner receives a $350,000 investment (typically in the form of a convertible debt note.)

Eligibility Criteria

Multiple student startup teams from the same school, institution or university center may apply to compete.
There is no limit on the number of applications per school.
Startup teams composed of students from more than one school may apply.
Student startup teams from universities across the US and across the world can apply. There are no fees to apply or to compete.
If you meet these requirements, then most likely you are eligible to apply! Your startup and startup team are eligible if it:
Has at least two current student founders or management team members, and at least one of those students is a current graduate degree-seeking student
Is student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed
Falls into one of five sectors
Has not raised more than $250,000 in equity capital prior to July 1, 2022
Has not generated revenue of more than $100,000 in any 12-month period prior to July 1, 2022
Is seeking funding or capital (or will be in the next 12 months) and is a is a potentially viable investment opportunity
Is incorporated in the US, or has started the process to do so by January 1, 2023