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 Rice Business Plan Competition offers an educational program mirroring real-world experience through this multi-day event for student startups from across the world.
The Rice University Business Plan Graduate-level Student Startup Competition, just completing its 22nd 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.
With access to mentors, real-world experience and investment opportunities, the Rice Business Plan Competition helps student founders stay on target and realize their potential.
Requirements
YOU ARE INITIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR RBPC 2023 IF YOUR STARTUP:
- is student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed
- 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
- are from a college or university anywhere in the world
- 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)
- is a potentially viable investment opportunity
Prizes
PRIZES FOR PLACEMENT IN COMPETITION
- 1st Place Overall – given by the GOOSE Capital – $350,000 investment
- 2nd Place Overall – given by Rice University – $100,000 investment
- 3rd Place Overall – given by Rice University $50,000 investment
- 4th – 7th Place Overall – $5,000 cash each
- Wildcard Round Prizes
- Mercury Elevator Pitch Competition Prizes $3,500 divided among winners
- Semi-Final Round Prizes
INDIVIDUAL PRIZES (INVESTMENT)
- The OWL Investment Prize – $270,000 (distributed to 3 startups)
- Houston Angel Network (HAN) Prize for Most Investable Startup – $100,000 investment
- The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Houston Angel Investment Prize – $100,000 investment
- TMC Innovation Healthcare Investment Prize – $250,000 investment + TMCx accelerator program completion
- Softeq Venture Studios Investment Prizes (2) – $50,000 investment + $75,000 in-kind
- Thomas Healy – RBPC Alumnus $85,000 Investment Prize (Distributed to 3 startups)
- nCourage Courageous Women Entrepreneur Prize – $50,000 investment (distributed to 2 startups)
- Urban Capital Network Prize – $25,000 Investment
- New Climate Ventures Prize – $25,000 Investment
INDIVIDUAL PRIZES (CASH)
- Pediatric Device Prize by the Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium (SWPDC) – $50,000 cash
- Pearland Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Spirit of Entrepreneurship Prize $25,000 cash
- Energy, Cleantech & Sustainability Prize, funded by IN2, NREL and WellsFargo – $25,000 cash
- RBPC Alumni Network Cash Prize, Sponsored by NABACO – $10,000 cash
- Nixon Institute Prize – $3,000 cash
- DK Innovation Prize – $3,000 cash
- The Eagle Investors Prize – $5,000 cash
- Anbarci Family Company Showcase Prize – $3,000 cash
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage
Application Deadline: February 28, 2023 at 11:59 PM CST.
