Startup Summit 2024

April 8th - 12th, Starkville, MS
Apply to Pitch

Deadline March 18th, 2024 at 11:59pm

About

About Startup Summit

Compete for $40,000 in prizes!

Pitch your business idea for a chance to win cash prizes to help you jumpstart your startup. You will be evaluated based on your 5-minute presentation on proposed technology, management, financials, and market by industry-respected leaders serving as judges from companies all across the region.

Teams

22

Judges

10

Competitions

40,000

$ Dollars in Prizes

Event Schedule

Competition Break-down

Download Calendar (ICS File) 

  • Day 1

    Apr 8, 2024

  • Day 2

    Apr 9, 2024

  • Day 3

    Apr 10, 2024

  • Day 4

    Apr 11, 2024

  • Day 5

    Apr 12, 2024

  • 4:00 - 4:30pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Opening Reception

    Join us as we kick-off Startup Summit 2023! Network with other entrepereneurs and enjoy hors d'oeuvres!

  • 4:30 - 5:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Kickoff Keynote Speaker

    TBA

    TBA

  • 5:30 - 7:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Elevator Pitch Competition (Group A)

    1st Place: $1,000   2nd Place: $500   3rd Place: $250

    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 first of two groups.

  • 3:30 - 5:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Elevator Pitch Competition (Group B)

    1st Place: $1,000   2nd Place: $500   3rd Place: $250

    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.

  • 5:30 - 7:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Business Concept Competition (Group A)

    1st Place: $1,000   2nd Place: $500   3rd Place: $250

    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.

  • 7:15 - 8:45pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    New Product Division I Competition

    1st Place: $2,500   2nd Place: $1,000   3rd Place: $500

    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.

  • 3:30 - 5:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Best Brand Division Competition

    1st Place: $2,500   2nd Place: $1,000   3rd Place: $500

    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. Examples: new clothing brand, coffee brand, sports brand, etc.

  • 5:30 - 7:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Business Concept Competition (Group B)

    1st Place: $1,000   2nd Place: $500   3rd Place: $250

    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.

  • 7:15 - 8:45pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    New Product Division II Competition

    1st Place: $2,500   2nd Place: $1,000   3rd Place: $500

    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.

  • 3:30 - 5:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Room 126

    Summit 24 Keynote Speaker

    TBA

    TBA

  • 5:30 - 7:00pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Brick and Mortar Division Competition

    1st Place: $2,500   2nd Place: $1,000   3rd Place: $500

    This division is for people who are working on a retail, service, or lifestyle company that will be brick and mortar. Examples: new coffee shop, local boutique, repair service, etc.

  • 7:15 - 8:45pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    New Product Division III Competition

    1st Place: $2,500   2nd Place: $1,000   3rd Place: $500

    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.

  • 1:00 - 1:30pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Ribbon Cutting & Dedication of E-Center Expansion

    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.

  • 1:30 - 2:30pm  |  Leo Seal Atrium

    Keynote: Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey, Founders of Barefoot Wine

    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.

  • 2:30 - 3:30pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    BankTEL Grand Finale Competition

    1st Place: $7,000   2nd Place: $3,000   3rd Place: $1,000

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

  • 3:30 - 4:30pm  |  McCool Hall, Leo Seal Atrium

    Closing Reception & Awards Ceremony

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

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