Rice Business Plan Competition 2023 for Student Startups

The competition, now in its 22nd year, provides real-world experience for collegiate entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, improve their business strategy, and learn what it takes to create a successful firm.

Rice University’s internationally acclaimed effort devoted to entrepreneurship, the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, and Rice Business hosted and coordinated the event. It has evolved from nine teams competing for $10,000 in prize money in 2001 to 42 teams from around the world
competing for more than $2 million in cash and prizes over the last 20 years.

Eligible sectors

1. 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 etc.
2. 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.
3. 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 etc.
4. 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 etc.
5. 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.

Benefits

1. More than $2 Million in investment and cash prizes will be awarded to winners
2. Benefit from an intense, educational experience over the multi-day event for student startup founders to pitch to investors, receive feedback and advance their startup. There is also significant time designated for interaction with judges and prize sponsors, the majority of whom are from the investment community.
3. Mentorship- The mentoring program helps founders make their startups stronger, better, more equipped to fundraise and excel in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Eligibility criteria

1. The startup should be student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed.
2. Have at least two current student founders or management team members, and at least one of those students is a current graduate degree-seeking student.
3. Students from any college or university anywhere in the world can apply.
4. The startup has not raised more than $250,000 in equity capital prior to July 1, 2022.
5. The startup has not generated revenue of more than $100,000 in any 12-month period prior to July 1, 2022.
6. The startup is seeking funding or capital (or will be in the next 12 months).
7. The startup is a potentially viable investment opportunity.

Please not only one team member will need an account to apply to the Rice Business Plan Competition.