Think you have a good business idea? Present your business idea before a panel of judges and see how it compares to the ideas of your fellow students. The winner will receive $1,000 for the best 90-second pitch. The term "elevator pitch" captures the ability of an entrepreneur to have his or her business concept down so tightly and effectively that he or she could walk into a hypothetical elevator, meet a potential investor, and convey the essence of his or her business by the time the elevator reaches the 20th floor. You should be able to deliver your pitch in 90 seconds.

This is the second of two groups.

The Business Concept Competition is an opportunity to pitch a raw business idea. Participating teams will typically have not begun any execution, and teams will be evaluated on the overall feasibility and potential of the idea.

This division is for entrepreneurs who are working to commercialize a new innovation-based product that can scale internationally. The Division I includes teams who have not built a customer-ready prototype or if participating in VentureCatalyst, would generally be before ECAB. Examples: signal searching drone, light-up ice cube, new video game, etc.

This division is for people who working on creating the next popular online brand. This brand needs to have a strong platform that will appeal to its target customer with evidence of what it will be selling.

This division is designed for startup teams pioneering in personal coaching, audio-visual services, production, or podcasting. The competition is geared towards innovators looking to transform the digital landscape with fresh, scalable ideas in multimedia content creation and distribution. Participants are encouraged to present unique solutions that leverage visual and auditory experiences to engage audiences on a global scale.

This division is for entrepreneurs who are working to commercialize a new innovation-based product that can scale internationally. The Division II includes teams who have built a prototype or if participating in VentureCatalyst, would generally be after PREP and before ECAB. Examples: signal searching drone, light-up ice cube, new video game, etc.

This division is open to the general public, for any entrepreneur residing in the State of Mississippi who are working to commercialize a new innovation-based product that can scale internationally.

This division is for entrepreneurs who are working to commercialize a new innovation-based product that can scale internationally. The Division III includes teams who have built a customer-ready prototype or if participating in VentureCatalyst, would generally be after ECAB. Examples: signal searching drone, light-up ice cube, new video game, etc.

Mississippi State University and its entrepreneurial community are excited to extend an invitation for the opening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the expanded Center for Entrepreneurship & Outreach. Mark your calendars for April 12th at 1pm to be part of this momentous occasion! The expansion of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach (CEO), increasing space to more than 4,000 square feet, presents a top-tier facility dedicated to assisting students, faculty, and community members in launching or expanding their business ventures. Inspired by renowned institutions nationwide, the CEO features a modern, open-plan design with glass walls, embodying a blend of innovation and accessibility. It issituated at the heart of the campus, integrating cutting-edge technologyinto its architecture.

Walk through the impressive new 2,000 square foot expansion and hear from current and past students in the program.

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey are the founders of Barefoot Wine - a company that launched with virtually no capital, from their laundry room in 1985. Barefoot became America’s #1 wine brand and the Barefoot brand is one of the most recognizable wine brands globally. Bonnie and Michael are the co-authors of New York Times best-selling business book, “The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America's #1 Wine Brand”. Since the sale of Barefoot Wine to E&J Gallo, they have channeled their efforts into consulting and coaching other people and entrepreneurs on how to launch their products and get them placed in big box retailers. Michael and Bonnie have been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post and many more! Michael and Bonnie have further adapted their teachings and launched the “Barefoot Startup” movement, which encourages newly launched startups to adopt key bootstrapping tenets and sales-driven principles and tactics.

The BankTEL Grand Finale is composed of the winners of all 5 preceding competitions to name one startup to take home the grand prize!

Join us for heavy hors d'oeuvres and beverages as we celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of Mississippi State University and the Bulldog Family!