The Innovation Challenge: Preliminary Round and Competition

The Innovation Challenge is the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurships' premier pitch event. Startups work closely with the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship team to create a polished pitch deck and present their startup plan to a panel of esteemed judges and compete for a coveted spot in the Innovation Challenge Final. All competitors must submit a business model canvas and executive summary to compete; prototypes are welcome and encouraged! Each startup will have five minutes to pitch their idea with slides, followed by a ten minute Q+A. This competition will be held in person. The winners from the Innovation Challenge: Preliminary Round will be announced shortly after the competition and move onto the Final on May 3rd to compete for up to $65,000 in equity-free funding!

Application Timeline: January 9, 2023 - March 23rd, 2023
The IC Preliminary Pitch Camp: 5:00-6:30pm | March 30, 2023 (Required; Competitors Only)
Competition Date: All Day, In-Person | April 5, 2023
Award: Spot in the IC Final; Each finalist will automatically receive $1,000 from the $65,000 prize pool

Learn more about the competition and eligibility rules.

Questions? Email: berthiaume@umass.edu