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Final Deadline



Final Deadline: 11:59pm ET, Thursday, January 31st, 2013

Do you have an idea for a startup company? Tell us your business idea, and earn a chance to win $50,000! Along the way you'll receive feedback and support to help get your business idea off the ground.

How does the competition work? 
Participants will compete in functional and special interest tracks through a series of 3 rounds in which judges look at Idea Summaries, Business Plans, and Investor Pitches respectively and select the competitors to advance to the next round. Competitors will have the opportunity to receive invaluable advice from the judges. The Grand Prize is $50,000. For more information on rules and cash prizes for individual tracks please go here.
  • Tracks
    • Functional Tracks
      • Clean Energy - $10,000 Student Prize
        • Eligible to be the Duke representative in the $100,000 ACC Clean Energy competition*
      • Healthcare and Life Sciences 
      • IT, Internet and Media
      • Social Enterprises 
      • Other Products & Services  
    • Special Interest Tracks
      • Women-led Startup - $10,000 Student Prize
      • Undergraduate-led Startup - $10,000 Student Prize
      • AARP Foundation Prize for startups that support low-income people aged 50 and over
  • In addition, the top 25 student teams will each receive $500 to put towards a Round 2 demo or video.
Who is eligible?
  • Student Competition: All Duke students (as well as postdocs and medical residents) are eligible for the majority of the prize money. 
  • Alumni, Faculty, Staff Competition: Alumni, Faculty, and Staff have a separate competition, with a separate ($10,000) prize pool. 
For more information please read our rules page.
 
How do I compete?
Get started by submitting an http://www.dukestartupchallenge.org/template-idea-summary (one to ten page document) of your business idea.  







Questions? Email us:
  • Ting-Ting Zhou, (Trinity '13) Co-President at ting-ting.zhou@duke.edu
  • Janet Ng (Fuqua/Nicholas '14), Co-President at janet.ng@duke.edu
    • Navid Samadani-McQuirk (Fuqua'13), Co-President at navid.s.m@fuqua.duke.edu
    • Howie Rhee '04, Advisor at hwr2@duke.edu

    What happens after I submit my Idea Summary?

    Round 2
    Up to 35 teams (up to 5 per track) will be selected by a panel of judges to advance to Round 2.  Teams will be informed of decisions around February 22.

    If you advance to Round 2, you will submit:
    • An expanded document. A business plan and/or an investor pitch slide deck. (for judges only)
    • Create a youtube video of your pitch (for public consumption)
    • Submit a revised Idea Summary (for public consumption)
    Round 2 materials will be due on March 19.


    Round 3 - Track winners
    Up to 7 teams (up to 1 per track) will be selected by a panel of judges to advance to Round 3. Teams will be informed of decisions around April 3.

    If you advance to Round 3, you will participate in the live Grand Finale on the night of April 12, 2013 at Fuqua's Geneen Auditorium.
    • Investor Pitches: The top 3 teams will have 18 minutes (10 minute pitch, 8 minute Q&A).  The $50,000 Grand Prize winner will be determined from this set of teams.
    • Elevator Pitches: The remaining 4 teams will deliver 1 minute elevator pitches.  The $500 Best Elevator Pitch Prize will be determined from this set of teams.


     
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