Rice Business Plan Competition

2027-04-08 · Houston

Rice University

Held at Rice University in Houston, the Rice Business Plan Competition brings together 42 collegiate teams to pitch their ventures for over $1 million in cash, investments, and prizes.

The Rice Business Plan Competition is the world's largest and richest graduate student startup competition. Hosted by the Rice Alliance, 42 collegiate teams pitch their startups, enhance their business strategy, and compete for more than $1 million in cash, investments, and prizes.

Founder brief

Who should attend

Collegiate entrepreneurs leading active ventures across any sector should consider applying. The multi-day gathering is designed for graduate student founders ready to defend their commercial viability and business models against other top university startups.

What happens

Selected teams pitch their startups over three days, refining their business strategies as they progress through the rounds. Forty-two collegiate teams present directly to evaluators while competing for a share of more than $1 million in total funding and prizes.

Who's in the room

Attendees center around the 42 competing collegiate startup teams alongside hosts from the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship and sponsor representatives from Rice Business.

How to prepare

Competitive pitch rounds demand sharp, defensible numbers and a clear investment case. Rehearse your core pitch until timing is second nature, and prepare thorough backup materials to address detailed inquiries about your business strategy, go-to-market assumptions, and capital requirements.

Organizer: Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship

Register

At a glance

Format
42 student teams pitch their startups and compete for more than $1 million in cash, investments and prizes.
Who can apply
Open to collegiate entrepreneurs
Prizes
More than $1 million in cash, investments and prizes
Attendance
42 teams competing
Sectors
Agnostic

Sponsors and partners

  • Rice Business

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