Student Entrepreneurship Competitions
Helping Make Your Entrepreneurial Dreams a Reality!
Spring 2023
- Registration Open: Tuesday, November 1, 2022– 12:01 a.m.
- Registration Close: April 3, 2023 – 11:59 p.m. – ALL DATA ENTERED
- Competition Day: Thursday, May 4, 2023

Student Entrepreneurship
Competitions Success!
SU senior marketing major, Johnathan Howell, earned the big bucks in this year’s Perdue School of Business’ 34th annual Student Entrepreneurship Competitions. Howell won the top prize – the $15,000 Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence – for his business plan for Howell's Dockside Services, specializing in boat detailing and preparation. The award also included $5,000 in Business Services from SU's BEACON. In addition, Howell received $1,000 by advancing in the first round of competitions, the “Invest in My Idea” poster presentation. He also placed first in the second round of the competitions, the “Gull Cage,” a Shark Tank-style elevator pitch to local business leaders, winning $2,500 from M&T Bank and a James A. List award for four hours of legal services valued at $1,580. In all, he finished the Entrepreneurship Competitions with some $25,080 in prize money and services. One of four finalists vying for the Bernstein Award, he was among the 35 student teams that competed for cash, prizes and in-kind services via the Student Entrepreneurship Competitions’ three rounds, which in were held via Zoom.

Student Entrepreneurship
Competitions Success!
SU junior accounting major, Honors student and SU lacrosse player Noah Kness and Griffin Spolansky, a student at the University of Virginia, earned the big bucks in this year’s Perdue School of Business’ 33rd annual Student Entrepreneurship Competitions. They won the top prize – the $15,000 Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence – for their business plan for Mezcla, a line of vegan bars, named for the Spanish word for “mixture.” In addition, Kness and Spolansky received $1,000 by advancing in the first round of competitions, the “Invest in My Idea” poster presentation. They also placed first in the second round of the competitions, the “Gull Cage,” a Shark Tank-style elevator pitch to local business leaders, winning $2,500 from M&T Bank. In all, they finished the Entrepreneurship Competitions with some $18,500 in prize money. One of four finalists vying for the Bernstein Award, they were among the 46 student teams that competed for cash, prizes and in-kind services via the Student Entrepreneurship Competitions’ three rounds, which in were held via Zoom.
Student Entrepreneurship Competition Success!
SU junior Cameron Kane earned the big bucks in this year’s Perdue School of Business’ 32nd annual Entrepreneurship Competitions. He won the top prize – the $20,000 Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence – for his business plan for Valkyrie Software Solutions, a digital technology company. One of four finalists vying for the Bernstein Award, he was among the nearly 50 student teams that competed for the pool of over $100,000 in cash, prizes and in-kind services via the Entrepreneurship Competitions’ three rounds.Learn How Your Business Idea Could Win Between $1,000 - $20,000!
- Open to all SU Students and Student Teams!
- Teammates do not need to be SU students
- Annual Prize Pool Goal is $100K
This can happen in 3 easy steps…
A Poster, A Pitch, and A Plan - Ticket to Entry is a Business Plan
Participation in all Rounds Required Winners from each event move on…
The Perdue School of Business Entrepreneurship Competition includes 3 great competitions in one day each spring. SU students have a chance to win prize money and business start-up awards to fund a business venture they dream of launching. Whether it’s a product or a service the options are endless.
Eligibility
Student Eligibility
- Any student who is currently enrolled, or has been enrolled, at SU during the current academic year is eligible to compete – regardless of major or whether the student is pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. All SU schools are encouraged to apply. We provide the training and support
Group Eligibility
- Groups are allowed to enter. An outside member can be involved in the creation of the plan but the primary participant in the competition must be the SU registered student. We encourage SU student partner teams with students from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Wor-Wic Community College and other institutions. Teams must have an SU student register the team to be eligible. Any prizes will go directly to the SU student.