The Rice University Business Plan Graduate-level Student Startup Competition 2025 ($1.6 million in Cash and Prizes).

Application Deadline: January 27, 2025

Applications are now open for the 2025 Rice University Business Plan Graduate-level Student Startup Competition. 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.

Requirements

You are initially eligible for RBPC 2025 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, 2024
• has not generated revenue of more than $100,000 in any 12-month period prior to July 1, 2024
• is seeking funding or capital (or will be in the next 12 months)
• is a potentially viable investment opportunity

2025 Competition Sectors

• Energy, Cleantech and Sustainability
• Hard Tech
• Life Sciences and Healthcare Solutions
• Digital Enterprise
• Consumer Products and Services

Prizes:

Prizes for Placement in Competition

• 1st Place Overall – given by the GOOSE Capital – $150,000 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
• Semi-Final Round Prizes
• Wildcard Round Prizes
• Mercury Elevator Pitch Competition Prizes $3,500 divided among winners
• Anbarci Family Company Showcase Prize – $5,000 cash

Individual Prizes (cash, equity-free)

• Pearland Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Spirit of Entrepreneurship Prize $40,000 cash
• Pediatric Device Prize by the Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium (SWPDC) – $25,000 cash
• Jacobs – Rising Stars Space Technology and Commercial Aerospace Prize – $25,000 cash
• NOV Energy Technology Innovation Prize – $25,000 Cash
• Entrepreneur Futures Network (EFN) Mentor Cash Prize – $1,500

Individual Prizes (investment)

• Goose Capital Investment Prize – $200,000 Investment
• The OWL Investment Prize – $100k+ Investment
• Houston Angel Network (HAN) Investment Prize – $100,000 investment
• The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Angels Texas Investment Prize – $100,000 investment
• New Climate Ventures Sustainable Investment Prize – $25,000 Investment
• nCourage Courageous Women Entrepreneur Prize – $25,000 investment
• Dream Big Ventures Latino Entrepreneur Investment Prize – $25,000 Investment
• UCN Diversity Award in Partnership with South Loop Venture – $25,000 Investment

Individual Prizes (In-kind)

• TMC Innovation Healthcare Accelerator Bootcamp Invite
• Baker Botts In-Kind Legal Services Prize – $75,000 in kind for three top startups
• Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Prize
• LSA Global/Latinx Startup Alliance Advisory Services for the Top Latino-led Startup(s)
• New York Technology Capital Partners CFO Consulting Prize

Prizes for All Competitors (in-kind)

• EFN Mentoring In-kind for all competitors
• Amazon Web Services In-kind for all competitors

Application Timeline:

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Rice University Business Plan Graduate-level Student Startup Competition