The NIU College of Business is pleased to announce the Inaugural De La Vega Innovation Pitch Competition is set for April 14th, 2023, from 10:30-2:00 PM in the De La Vega Innovation Lab!
Groups of 2-5 undergraduate and/or graduate students from any NIU major can pitch an innovative business idea to a panel of judges for the chance to win seed funding (cash!), and a 6-month premium membership to Innovation DuPage!
Some key things to know:
- There are two informational sessions that will double as a Pitching 101 workshop. Students who want to compete must attend one of these two workshops (they can email beccahusar@niu.edu if they have a conflict). The workshops will be in the De La Vega Innovation Lab on 3/21 from 1-2 pm, and 3/31 from 11-12 pm.
- The deadline to apply is April 7th, EOD
- The Innovation Club is offering appointments to help students refine their Business Models prior to competing (To set up an appointment, email rjurslauderdale@niu.edu with “Pitch Competition Appointment” in the subject line.)
- Space is limited to 10 teams and will be selected based on “potential for success” and innovative concepts
- Additional information, plus the registration form, can be found here: https://go.niu.edu/innovation-pitch
*This year’s competition will be a pilot version to identify key logistical needs, and student interest. Therefore, we are expecting most pitches to be in the ideation phase: Student teams should present the groundwork for innovation and problem-solving through a clearly defined business model.
Please email beccahusar@niu.edu with questions.
