Take your venture out of the room.

How to pick one

Pick by stage, not by prize size. A competition that wants revenue will cut an idea-stage team in the first round, and a $1M prize doesn't help you if you can't get past the screen.

• You have an idea and some customer conversations. Look at Hult, the Collegiate Inventors Competition, a hackathon, or America's Startup if it runs again. Startup School is free and you can start this week.
• You have a working prototype or first users. Look at the DMV College Pitch Bowl, SXSW Pitch (it has a student category), CEO Global Pitch, and a Product Hunt launch.
• You have paying customers. Look at GSEA, Shore Hatchery, Rice, and Baylor next year. These ask for financials, and they'll check them.

Several of these ask for a short pitch video. The one you make for December 2 is a head start, so make it something you'd be glad to send to an outside judge.

When to apply

One row per opportunity, sorted by when you have to apply. Apply by is the submission deadline. Event is when and where it happens if you get in. Where this year's round has already closed, the row shows next year's deadline instead. Dates marked est. are my estimates from previous years, and past deadlines fade out as the year goes on.

Just going

No application needed for these. Buy a badge or ticket (look for student rates and volunteer programs).

Pitch competitions you can enter

These are open to W&L undergraduates. I left out the big-name competitions that only take their own students; they're listed at the bottom of the page so you don't spend time on them.

1. № 01

   CEO Global Pitch Competition

   Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization · Nov 5–7, 2026 · Clearwater Beach, FL

   The largest college pitch competition in the country, held at CEO's annual conference for student founders. The top 100 exhibit, 20 go to semifinals, and 8 pitch in the final.

   Who

   Any college student with an idea or an active venture. W&L doesn't need a CEO chapter.

   Deadline

   Conference registration closes Oct 13. Pitch application due Oct 18, 11:59pm ET.

   Cost

   $175 registration (rises to $200 on Oct 14). Everyone must stay at the conference hotel: $294 a night per room, plus a $50 non-refundable deposit. Travel is on you.

   Prize

   $20,000, non-dilutive

   Link

   joinceo.org/global

2. № 02

   Rice Business Plan Competition

   Rice Alliance · Apr 8–10, 2027 · Houston

   The biggest student startup competition in the world. About 42 teams are invited to Houston to pitch to investors, and every team that competes takes home some prize money.

   Who

   At least two current student founders. Undergraduates are eligible for 2027, and team members can come from different schools. You must have raised no more than $300K in equity and earned no more than $150K in revenue in any 12 months before Jul 1, 2026, and you must be looking for funding.

   Deadline

   Applications open Nov 9 and close Jan 29, 2027. Invitations go out Feb 16.

   Cost

   No entry fee posted. You pay your own airfare, hotel, and ground transportation.

   Prize

   More than $1M in cash and investment

   Link

   rbpc.rice.edu

3. № 03

   SXSW Pitch, Student Startups category

   SXSW · Mar 16–17, 2027 · Austin

   A pitch event inside the SXSW festival, with a category just for student startups. You pitch in front of investors and press during one of the busiest weeks in tech. See SXSW below for the festival itself.

   Who

   The product must have launched on or after Jan 1, 2024. The company can't have raised more than $10M, and at least one enrolled student has to present.

   Deadline

   Nov 11, 2026 (SXSW pages give both Nov 11 and Nov 13)

   Cost

   $225 to apply. Travel and lodging in Austin during SXSW are expensive, so price them before you apply.

   Link

   sxsw.com

4. № 04

   Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA)

   Entrepreneurs' Organization · local rounds through spring · global finals around June

   A competition for students who already run a business. Local rounds feed national and global finals, and the judges are business owners rather than investors.

   Who

   Enrolled students running a company that's at least six months old, with at least $500 in revenue or $1,000 in investment.

   Deadline

   The 2026–27 season opened Jul 1. Each local chapter sets its own deadline, which you'll see when you pick a location. I couldn't find a chapter near Lexington. est. Chapters elsewhere closed between November and April last year, so check in November.

   Cost

   Not posted on the official page

   Prize

   $100,000 pool at the global finals

   Link

   eonetwork.org/gsea

5. № 05

   Hult Prize

   Hult Prize Foundation · campus, national, and global rounds · 2026–27 dates TBA

   A five-round competition for for-profit ventures that address one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It suits a team with a social-impact angle.

   Who

   Teams of two to four students in any degree program, all 18 or older by Feb 28, 2027.

   Deadline

   Not posted. est. Campus rounds run December to January at schools that host them, and the Open Application (the route for W&L) has closed between Feb 15 and Feb 28 the last two years. Expect late February 2027.

   Cost

   Not posted

   Prize

   $1M in seed funding. The Foundation takes an equity stake, usually 10%.

   Link

   hultprize.org

6. № 06

   VentureWell E-Team Program

   VentureWell · grant, not a pitch · applications Nov 9 – Jan 25, 2027

   Grants and training for student teams commercializing a science or engineering invention. The first stage pays $5,000 and the second pays $20,000.

   Who

   At least two students and a faculty advisor at a US school.

   Deadline

   Jan 25, 2027. The Pioneer workshop follows on Apr 21–22.

   Cost

   Not posted

   Prize

   Up to $25,000 in grants

   Link

   venturewell.org

7. № 07

   Baylor New Venture Competition

   Baylor University · finals Apr 16–17, 2027 · Waco, TX · closed for this year

   An executive summary screen, then a top 50, then in-person finals. This year's application closed Oct 1, so plan for the fall 2027 round. est. It opens between April and August 2027 and closes Oct 1, the same date it's used for years.

   Who

   Teams of students and recent alumni from accredited non-profit universities anywhere in the world.

   Prize

   More than $200,000, including in-kind support

   Link

   hankamer.baylor.edu

8. № 08

   Collegiate Inventors Competition

   National Inventors Hall of Fame · 2027 dates TBA · finals at the USPTO, Alexandria, VA

   A competition for student inventions, with an undergraduate category. It fits a venture built on something physical or technical that you designed.

   Who

   Undergraduate and graduate students at US colleges.

   Deadline

   Not posted. est. Early June 2027. Entries were due Jun 3, 2024 and Jun 2, 2025, with finals in October.

   Link

   invent.org/cic

9. № 09

   America's Startup

   America250 · fall round closed Oct 8 · watch for a spring 2027 round

   A national contest for undergraduates, judged on a written proposal and a two-minute video. Early ideas were allowed. The fall round has closed, and semifinalists pitch in Washington in December. It's tied to the country's 250th anniversary, so it may not run again. If it does, the spring 2026 pilot closed Mar 31, so watch for something around March.

   Who

   US undergraduates, alone or in small teams

   Prize

   More than $1M total, with $25,000 per finalist

   Link

   america250.org

Close to home

Virginia, DC, and Maryland. These are smaller, but you can drive to them, and the judges are often people you'll want to know later.

1. № 10

   DMV College Pitch Bowl

   American University and Oasis · finals Nov 6, 2026 · Washington, DC

   A regional pitch competition for student founders from DC, Maryland, and Virginia schools. You submit a three-minute video first, and finalists pitch live.

   Who

   Current students and recent alumni with an operating company at the pre-seed or seed stage. A concept-only idea probably won't qualify.

   Deadline

   Oct 16, 2026

   Cost

   Not posted. DC is about a three-and-a-half-hour drive.

   Prize

   Cash prizes, amount not posted

   Link

   Announcement with the application link

2. № 11

   Shore Hatchery

   Salisbury University · twice a year · Salisbury, MD · spring 2027 dates TBA

   A trade-show morning followed by a one-minute pitch and six minutes of questions. It's real money for a real company, and you don't have to be a Salisbury student.

   Who

   Mid-Atlantic businesses within five years of launch. You need a full business plan and financials.

   Deadline

   est. Late February to early March 2027. Last spring's applications ran Feb 2 to Mar 9, with the event in late April. Earlier springs closed between late March and early April.

   Cost

   No fee posted. Travel is on you.

   Prize

   $100,000 awarded each semester, up to $50,000 per winner

   Link

   salisbury.edu

3. № 12

   Virginia SBDC, Shenandoah Valley

   Small Business Development Center · rolling · appointments in Lexington

   Free, confidential one-on-one advising on things like registering the business, pricing, and financing. It isn't a competition, but it's the most useful free help within a few miles of campus. They also run Start Smart workshops around the Valley.

   Who

   Anyone starting or running a business. No W&L affiliation needed.

   Cost

   Free

   Link

   valleysbdc.org · 540-568-3227

4. № 13

   RAMP

   Roanoke-Blacksburg Innovation Alliance · Roanoke · 2026–27 cohort TBA

   The region's startup accelerator, an hour south of Lexington. Past cohorts got $20,000 with no equity taken and free office space downtown. It targets tech startups that can grow, so it's a next step after CES, not a substitute for it. est. It has run a spring cohort (applications closed Feb 11 in 2024) and a fall cohort (mid-August), so watch for a mid-February 2027 deadline.

   Link

   ramprb.com

5. № 14

   VIPC startup funding

   Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp · quarterly and rolling

   The state's own startup funder. It offers grants and convertible notes for Virginia startups that haven't built a minimum viable product yet. It's for an incorporated Virginia company, not a class project, but it's worth knowing about once you get there.

   Link

   vipc.org

Festivals, conferences, and expos

These are where to go to see what everyone else is building, and where you can show your own work. Most of them cost real money, so look for student rates and volunteer programs before you pay full price.

1. № 15

   SXSW

   Mar 13–21, 2027 · Austin

   A festival covering tech, film, music, and startups, with thousands of people and every kind of venture. If you go, enter SXSW Pitch too. SXSW EDU runs Mar 13–16 if your venture is in education.

   Cost

   Last year enrolled students got 50% off a badge while supplies lasted. The 2027 student terms aren’t posted yet. Volunteers can earn a badge.

   Link

   Badges and student discount · Volunteer

2. № 16

   CES Eureka Park

   Consumer Technology Association · Jan 6–9, 2027 · Las Vegas

   The startup section of the biggest consumer electronics show in the world. If you're building a physical product, this is the room where the buyers, press, and manufacturers are.

   Who can exhibit

   Companies five years old or younger, with no more than Series B funding and a consumer tech product ready to demo.

   Deadline

   The 2027 application is open now with no posted close date. The country pavilions closed in July and August. Booths sell out, so if you're going to apply, apply now.

   Cost

   Booth price not posted

   Link

   ces.tech/eureka-park

3. № 17

   Web Summit

   Lisbon, Nov 9–12, 2026 · Vancouver, May 25–28, 2027

   One of the largest tech conferences, with a startup exhibit hall and a pitch competition. Vancouver is the North American edition and the more realistic trip.

   How to show

   Apply to the startup programme. Early-stage companies exhibit for a day and can enter PITCH.

   Deadline

   No posted deadline. est. Applications for Vancouver run until roughly March or April 2027.

   Cost

   Startup packages start around €495 for Lisbon. Vancouver pricing isn't posted.

   Link

   websummit.com/startups

4. № 18

   Slush

   Nov 18–19, 2026 · Helsinki

   Europe's best-known founder conference, and it's run largely by student volunteers. Its pitch program, Slush 100, closed Sep 7 for this year. est. For 2027, expect it to open in July or August and close in late August or early September.

   Cost

   Startup ticket €395. Volunteer applications are open.

   Link

   slush.org

5. № 19

   eMerge Americas

   Mar 2–4, 2027 · Miami Beach

   A tech conference with a startup showcase and a pitch competition. Selected startups get a booth.

   Deadline

   The 2027 application is open, with no posted close date. est. Mid-December to mid-January. Last year's closed Feb 3 for an April event, and this year's event is seven weeks earlier.

   Cost

   About $650 per startup for the showcase (from a fact sheet, not the official site)

   Link

   emergeamericas.com

6. № 20

   Tom Tom Festival

   Apr 21–25, 2027 · Charlottesville, VA

   A week of music, art, and ideas, with an innovation summit. It's the closest festival of this kind to Lexington, about an hour away. The 2027 theme is NEXTGEN. Its Crowdfunded Pitch Night is a real pitch stage: the audience funds the winner. est. Pitch Night applications close in late February 2027 (they were due Feb 27, 2026).

   Cost

   Not posted. The site has a volunteer link.

   Link

   tomtomfoundation.org

7. № 21

   GDC and the Independent Games Festival

   Mar 1–5, 2027 · San Francisco

   The main game-industry conference. If you're making a game, submitting it to the IGF is how you get it in front of the industry. Students can get in through GDC's scholarship programs.

   Deadline

   IGF 2027 submissions closed Sep 13, 2026. est. For 2028, submissions open in August 2027 and close mid-September to early October.

   Cost

   Passes run roughly $299 to $499 (one secondary source). Scholarships cover passes for some students.

   Link

   igf.com · GDC scholarships

8. № 22

   PAX East and MAGFest

   PAX East Apr 22–25, 2027 · Boston · Super MAGFest Jan 7–10, 2027 · National Harbor, MD

   Two expos run for players, not industry. They're the place to put a game in front of people and watch them play it. MAGFest is near DC and has an indie showcase, though its 2027 submissions have closed. est. PAX East's indie showcase, PAX Rising, should take applications from about December to January; its sister shows close two to three months before the event. MAGFest's next round should close around mid-September 2027.

   Link

   east.paxsite.com · super.magfest.org

9. № 23

   TechCrunch Disrupt, Startup Battlefield

   2026 runs Oct 13–15 in San Francisco · aim for 2027

   The most visible startup pitch stage in tech press. Battlefield is free for selected companies, which get an exhibit table and passes. The 2026 deadline was in June, so plan for 2027. est. Applications open around March 2027 and close in late May or early June, usually with a one-week extension.

   Who

   Pre-Series A, with a working product

   Prize

   $100,000, equity-free

   Link

   techcrunch.com/events

Launch it in public, any day

You don't need anyone's permission or a deadline to do these.

1. № 24

   Product Hunt

   Free · launch any day

   A public launch page where people discover new products. The launch has to come from a personal account, and you can't directly ask people to upvote. They recommend launching at 12:01am Pacific.

   Link

   producthunt.com/launch

2. № 25

   Kickstarter

   5% fee plus about 3–5% payment processing, only if you hit your goal

   Crowdfunding for creative projects that make something for backers. A campaign is also a test of whether people will pay for your product before it exists.

   Link

   kickstarter.com

3. № 26

   Y Combinator and Startup School

   Free to apply · Winter 2027 deadline Nov 2, 2026

   Startup School is YC's free, self-paced course, and it includes a co-founder matching platform. YC itself runs four batches a year. Applying is free, and writing the application is good practice even if you don't expect to get in. est. After Winter (Nov 2), the next deadlines should be around Feb 9 for Spring 2027 and May 4 for Summer 2027.

   Link

   startupschool.org · ycombinator.com/apply

4. № 27

   Dorm Room Fund

   Student-run venture fund · next cycle TBA

   A venture fund run by students that invests $40,000 in student companies through a SAFE. The fall deadlines have passed. est. The next cycle should be mid-September 2027; I found no sign of a spring cycle.

   Who

   A US-incorporated company with at least one founder enrolled or graduated within the past year

   Link

   dormroomfund.com

5. № 28

   Hackathons

   Major League Hacking · year-round · usually free for students

   A weekend of building with other students. It's a good way to get a prototype done or find a technical co-founder. Bitcamp at the University of Maryland is the closest large one. est. Around Apr 9–11, 2027, based on the last two years, with registration opening in January or February.

   Link

   events.mlh.com

Not open to W&L students

You'll see these in the news, but they only take their own students, so skip them: MIT $100K, Brown Venture Prize, Berkeley Big Ideas, the UVA Entrepreneurship Cup, GMU Patriot Pitch, the Virginia Tech Entrepreneur Challenge, and Ole Miss's Gillespie competition. The Fowler Global Social Innovation Challenge works only through a qualifying round that your own school runs.

If you find something that should be on this page, email me the link and I'll add it.