Rice University 2025 Business Plan Graduate-level Student Startup Competition ($1.6 million in Cash and Prizes).

Applications are now open for the 2025 Rice University Business Plan Graduate-level Student Startup Competition. Hosted and organized by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship—which is Rice University’s internationally-recognized initiative devoted to the support of entrepreneurship—and Rice Business.

Requirements

You are initially eligible for RBPC 2025 if your startup:

● is student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed

● has at least two current student founders or management team members, and at least one of those students is a current graduate degree-seeking student

● are from a college or university anywhere in the world

● has not raised more than $250,000 in equity capital prior to July 1, 2024

● has not generated revenue of more than $100,000 in any 12-month period prior to July 1, 2024

● is seeking funding or capital (or will be in the next 12 months)

● is a potentially viable investment opportunity

● 2025 Competition Sectors

● Energy, Cleantech and Sustainability

● Hard Tech

● Life Sciences and Healthcare Solutions

● Digital Enterprise

● Consumer Products and Services

Prizes:

Prizes for Placement in Competition

● 1st Place Overall – given by the GOOSE Capital – $150,000 investment

● 2nd Place Overall – given by Rice University – $100,000 investment

● 3rd Place Overall – given by Rice University $50,000 investment

● 4th – 7th Place Overall – $5,000 cash each

● Semi-Final Round Prizes

● Wildcard Round Prizes

● Mercury Elevator Pitch Competition Prizes $3,500 divided among winners

● Anbarci Family Company Showcase Prize – $5,000 cash

● Individual Prizes (cash, equity-free)

● Pearland Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Spirit of Entrepreneurship Prize $40,000 cash

● Pediatric Device Prize by the Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium (SWPDC) – $25,000 cash

● Jacobs – Rising Stars Space Technology and Commercial Aerospace Prize – $25,000 cash

● NOV Energy Technology Innovation Prize – $25,000 Cash

● Entrepreneur Futures Network (EFN) Mentor Cash Prize – $1,500

● Individual Prizes (investment)

● Goose Capital Investment Prize – $200,000 Investment

●.The OWL Investment Prize – $100k+ Investment

●.Houston Angel Network (HAN) Investment Prize – $100,000 investment

●.The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Angels Texas Investment Prize – $100,000 investment

● New Climate Ventures Sustainable Investment Prize – $25,000 Investment

nCourage Courageous Women Entrepreneur Prize – $25,000 investment

● Dream Big Ventures Latino Entrepreneur Investment Prize – $25,000 Investment

● UCN Diversity Award in Partnership with South Loop Venture – $25,000 Investment

● Individual Prizes (In-kind)

● TMC Innovation Healthcare Accelerator Bootcamp Invite

● Baker Botts In-Kind Legal Services Prize – $75,000 in kind for three top startups

● Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Prize

● LSA Global/Latinx Startup Alliance Advisory Services for the Top Latino-led Startup(s)

● New York Technology Capital Partners CFO Consulting Prize

● Prizes for All Competitors (in-kind)

● EFN Mentoring In-kind for all competitors

● Amazon Web Services In-kind for all competitors

Application Timeline:

January 27, 2025 11:59 PM CST – Applications close; deadline to submit applications 

February 18, 2025 Noon CST – 42 teams invited to participate via video live stream, social media, emails and phone calls 

February 24, 2025 5:00 PM CST – Invited teams confirm commitment to compete via written confirmation on application and last day to withdraw without penalty 

Method of Application

For More Information,

Visit the Official Webpage

Application Deadline: January 27, 2025.