High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors across the globe are invited to submit innovative and impactful business plans online with no entry fee from January 15 through February 15, 2024.
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Pitch Challenge, an entrepreneurial-focused competition that gives high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors from across the world a chance to pitch business ideas for a chance to win a full tuition scholarship to the University of Vermont and cash prizes, was announced in September 2023.
Participants in the free program have had the opportunity to learn from top experts about how to write a business plan, create a compelling pitch, and achieve their goals through monthly Entrepreneurial Exchange webinars that kicked off in September and will continue through March 2024.
The application portal for students to submit their business ideas is now officially open on the UVM website and will remain open until February 15.
"We are very excited to see what these high school students will submit,” said Dr. Jay Jacobs, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management at The University of Vermont. “The Vermont Pitch Challenge is such a unique opportunity for young entrepreneurs, and we are hopeful that if we provide them with the tools needed to help them turn their ideas into reality, this new annual program will be a success not only for them, but for their communities."
There is no entry fee to participate in the Vermont Pitch Challenge. High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors are invited to submit their business plans as individuals or as teams of up to three people. Submissions are accepted in video, podcast, or written formats.
After the submission portal is closed, the business plans will be judged by the UVM Entrepreneurship Club. The top five finalists (individual or team) will be chosen based on how effectively the business ideas achieve a stated goal and if they create a positive impact and/or deliver a solution to a problem faced in the market. Finalists will be announced in late February / early March.
These individuals and/or teams will then pitch their business plans in person at UVM on Thursday, April 4, where the grand prize winner/s and finalists’ rankings will be shared.
First-place individuals will each receive a full tuition scholarship to the University of Vermont. The second and third place winning teams will both receive a $5,000 check to be split evenly among the team members. The fourth and fifth place winning teams will both receive a $1,000 check, also to be split among individuals on the teams.
For more details, review the official rules, regulations, terms, and conditions, linked here. For the full Challenge timeline and additional details, visit www.uvm.edu/admissions/undergraduate/vermont-pitch-challenge. To sign up for updates about the Challenge, click here.
About the University of Vermont
The University of Vermont is a top research university of ideal size, large enough to offer a breadth of ideas, resources, and opportunities, yet scaled to enable close faculty-student mentorship across all levels of study, from bachelor’s to doctoral programs. At UVM, we think big and inspire others to do the same. Our academic program combines faculty-student relationships most commonly found in a small liberal arts college with the resources of a major research institution. Located in Burlington, Vermont (America's #1 College Town -- Travel + Leisure), UVM's setting on the shores of Lake Champlain, between the Adirondack and the Green Mountain ranges, gives a mountaintop perspective of all that's possible -- and offers the tools you will need to get there. For more information about UVM, go to UVM.edu.
Source: BURLINGTON, VT, JANUARY 15, 2024 – UVM
