Student Entrepreneurship Competitions

Helping Make Your Entrepreneurial Dreams a Reality!

Spring 2024

Registration Open: Wednesday, November 1, 2023– 12:01 a.m.
Registration Close: April 1, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. – ALL DATA ENTERED
Competition Day: Thursday, May 2, 2024

Student Entrepreneurship Competitions Flyer

Registration Coming Soon!

Student Entrepreneurship Competitions Workshops
- Business Plan Submission
  PH 132
  Monday, 2/6/23 10:00 a.m.
- Business Plan Submission
  PH 132
  Wednesday, 2/15/23 10:00 a.m.
- Round 1 Pitch and Poster
  PH 132
  Thursday, 2/23/23 1:00 p.m.
- Round 1 Pitch and Poster
  PH 132
  Monday, 2/27/23 10:00 a.m.
- Gull Cage Pitch and Final Round Presentation
  PH 132
  Wednesday, 3/8/23 10:00 a.m.
- Gull Cage Pitch and Final Round Presentation
  PH 132
  Thursday, 3/16/23 1:00 p.m.
- Pitch Practice and Orientation
  PH 132
  Monday, 4/10/23 10:00 a.m.

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.

Student Entrepreneur presents business idea to judges during the Shore Hatchery Competition

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.

Round 1 The Poster: Invest in My Idea "A Poster Competition" up to 15 Winners
Hosted by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is the “Invest in my Idea” Poster Competition in which students will have the opportunity to present their business ideas in a poster-style format. Select members of the Salisbury Community will have the opportunity to invest in your idea. Awards and prizes will be given to approximately 15 businesses whose ideas receive the greatest investments. Up to 15 businesses will move on from this event to the “Gull Cage.

Participants in the” Invest in My Idea” Poster Competition need to create a poster that is self-explanatory. The participating team member will have one to two minutes to explain their idea to the “Invest in My Idea” judging team.

Due: Electronic copy should be uploaded to the registration site by the registration deadline. It is ok if your poster design changes some prior to competition day.
- The poster board size at the bookstore is 36"H x 48" W Center Panel 24" with 2 sides of 12"
- The name of your company
- The product or service (What problem does it solve for consumers)
- Target customer needs
- The market and industry
- How will you promote the product or service
- How the product or service will make money (Break-even-sales)
- Your leadership team
- Your competition and competitive advantage
- A sample template Business Poster Template
- For more information on Poster Printing
Make it visually appealing and easy to understand. More pictures, less words.

You will be judged on your plan concept, clarity, comprehensiveness, feasibility, and potential value of opportunity.
- Student Entrepreneurship Consultants
If you have questions or need further information regarding this event please contact:

Heather Brooks
410-546-4325
hmbrooks@salisbury.edu
Business Sector Awards
Business Sector Prize List

Business sector awards and prizes will be given out for the top idea in select business sectors. These prizes are selected by the sponsors representing judges/sponsors. These prizes will be awarded after round 1.

Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship $2500 Cash Awards
- The cash prizes will be awarded to students who accel in one of the following categories: Best Prototype, Social Impact, Local Impact, Most Disruptive Design and Moonshot Ideas.
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield $5,000 Cash Award
- Medical, Wellness or Health Business
City of Salisbury Mayor’s Award $5,000 Cash & Services Award*
- $3,000 Cash & $2,000 Services
- Must plan to open business in the City of Salisbury
  - $3,000 grant to cover initial start-up costs. This grant is contingent upon the winner “headquartering” their business in the City of Salisbury over that period.
  - Additionally, the City of Salisbury will be providing the winner with a number of in-kind services for their exclusive use.
SU Veterans Service Award $1,300 Cash Award
- $550 Cash & 750 Services
- This award is given to businesses who meet one of the following criteria:
  - Owned by a current or former Active Duty, Veteran, Reservists/National Guard member
  - Current member of Salisbury University’s ROTC
  - Military friendly business whose target market is military based. The military market is a huge industry, there were approximately 30 million service members, veterans, and spouseswith $1 trillion in buying power, with over 90% saying that have greater trust and consumer loyalty towards brands that directly target their community.
Director’s Choice Award- $1,000 Cash Award
- Cross Campus Collaboration – This award is given to a team with members from more than one SU school (Fulton, Henson, Perdue, Seidel and Health and Human Sciences) or outside of SU such as UMES, Wor-Wic or other institution.
Diversity Award - $1,000 Cash Award
- Business Owned or Operated by an underrepresented race, color, ethnicity, national origin group or demographic; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA) community; or those with a disability.
  - Also, could be a business whose product or service’s target customers are one or more of the above-mentioned groups.
  - This Award is sponsored by a grant from the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at SU
SWED $1,000 Services Award
- Sponsored by Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development
  - Development and/or refinement of the business plan
  - Guidance in the search for a suitable location for the enterprise
  - Assembly of a mentor group or advisory committee as needed
  - Analysis and identification of potential funding sources
*Indicates additional qualification criteria required for cash award

Awards are open to all Salisbury University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Wor-Wic Community College teams.
- Student Entrepreneurship Consultants
If you have questions or need further information regarding this event please contact:

Heather Brooks
410-546-4325
hmbrooks@salisbury.edu
Round 2 The Pitch: GullCage “A Shark Tank Competition” 4 Winners
The “Gull Cage”, is a Shark Tank Competition, where students pitch their ideas to judges for an opportunity to win a cash prize and advance to the 3rd round. This competition offers a cash award to the top winner. The top four competitors will move on to the final competition!

In the “Gull Cage” Round, finalists from Round 1 will have 5 minutes to pitch their ideas to judges. No props just you and our pitch! Make sure you upload as much data as you can at registration to help the “Gull Cage” judges understand your business.

These judges usually are different judges than Round 1. Don’t assume that they saw your poster and pitch in Round 1. Be ready!

The top 4 businesses will move on to the final competition!

The "pitch" should be no more than 1 minute and include (at a minimum).
- The Product or Service
- The Market
- How the Product or Service will make money
- Your Leadership Team
- Your Competition and Competitive Advantage
The remaining 4 minutes will be a Q & A with you and the Gull Cage Judges. You will be judged on your plan concept, clarity, comprehensiveness, feasibility, and potential value of opportunity.

4 Winners move onto Round 3 The Plan: The Bernstein Round.
- Judging Form
- Student Entrepreneurship Consultants
If you have questions or need further information regarding this event please contact:

Heather Brooks
410-546-4325
hmbrooks@salisbury.edu
Round 3 The Plan: The Richard Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence “A Business Plan Competition” 1 Winner
The Richard Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence "Business Plan Competition" The winners from the Gull Cage will have to make a 10 minute Power Point presentation of their business plan, with a 10 minute question and answer with the judges. The creator of the winning business plan receives up to $20,000. This will be determined by the judging committee based on their assessment of the quality of the business plans.

Create an original proposal for a business start-up or for the transformation of an existing business. These judges usually are different judges than Round 1 and 2. Don’t assume that they saw your poster or pitch in Round 1 and 2. Be ready!

The Bernstein Story

The Bernstein Award was established by Richard Bernstein, a local entrepreneur, to recognize students who put together well researched and potentially successful business proposals. It is designed to encourage young entrepreneurs to move forward with their visions and to provide the resources to assist them. Several award winners have gone on to operate successful businesses after receiving this award.

The winners from the “Gull Cage” will have to make a 10 minute presentation of their business plan, with a 10 minute question and answer with the judges. The creator of the winning business plan receives up to $20,000. This will be determined by the judging committee based on their assessment of the quality of the business plans.
- Student Entrepreneurship Consultants
- Entrepreneurship Coaches & Mentors
If you have questions or need further information regarding this event please contact:

Heather Brooks
410-546-4325
hmbrooks@salisbury.edu