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Columbia Engineering Venture Competition
The Columbia Venture Competition was first launched in April 2009, and has paid out over $100,000 in prize money to early-stage ventures all founded by young Columbia entrepreneurs. Over the years the competition has grown in the number of submissions and in competition quality.
The Columbia Engineering Venture Competition is one of many entrepreneurial programs and events offered by Columbia Engineering to help foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship at the school, across the campus, in our immediate community and across the global Columbia University alumni community.
This year in the face of an ever-increasing level of graduate and young alumni competition we are adding an undergraduate track to encourage entrepreneurship across the entire student body and young alumni community.
Eligibility
To be considered eligible to apply, the following criteria are mandatory:
- Eligible teams must have at least one principle member currently enrolled in a Columbia University graduate or undergraduate program or must be a young alumnus (five years or less after active enrollment) of any Columbia University school
- Acceptable business plans include early-stage or new ventures, joint ventures, alliances or network-based businesses and licensing arrangements. Consultancies or traditional professional service business models are strongly discouraged.
Executive Summaries are due on February 7, 11:59 p.m. EST
Submit here: http://vator.tv/competition/columbia-engineering-business-plan-competition
Dates and Deadlines
February 7, 11:59 p.m. — Executive Summaries Due
March 10, 11:59 p.m. — Second Round Business Plans Due
April 10 — Final round presentations on Morningside Campus
Two Rounds
The competition will have two stages. In round one all competitors are asked to upload a 2000 word executive summary of their business on Vator.tv (our submission platform). The best of the round one submissions will invited to enter round two of the Columbia Engineering Venture Competition. Round two competitors will be asked to upload full business plans.
Undergraduate Track
In round two a second track will be added to encourage undergraduate competition. Undergraduate Engineering students that are not invited to the second round of the main competition may be invited to enter the Engineering Undergraduate Track of the Columbia Engineering Venture Competition. Winners of this track will be invited to participate in the Columbia Engineering Summer Startup Session (S3) where a limited number of students will receive free room and board and a small stipend. These teams will be given mentorship and will be allowed to stay on campus during the summer session so they can develop their ideas into viable businesses.
In round two a second track will be added to encourage undergraduate competition. Undergraduate Engineering students that are not invited to the second round of the main competition may be invited to enter the Engineering Undergraduate Track of the Columbia Engineering Venture Competition. Winners of this track will be invited to participate in the Columbia Engineering Summer Startup Session (S3) where a limited number of students will receive free room and board and a small stipend. These teams will be given mentorship and will be allowed to stay on campus during the summer session so they can develop their ideas into viable businesses.
Mentorship and Round Two Coaching
Teams interested in applying for mentorship from our network of business-savvy, Columbia Engineering alumni mentorship network may contact Chris McGarry at cm3014@columbia.edu.
Privacy
Columbia Engineering will make reasonable attempts to limit the distribution of the competitors’ business ideas beyond the population of judges. However, contestants are responsible for the protection of their own proprietary and critical intellectual property. Contestants are encouraged to consult with their attorneys before deciding to disclose any details of their technology, process, innovation, or business idea.
