NCSA staff who would like to submit an item for the calendar can email newsdesk@ncsa.illinois.edu.
Register by Sun | Jan 28
Have a startup idea? Take the Cozad New Venture Challenge to accelerate your idea with funding, mentoring and more! The campus-wide Cozad New Venture Challenge, held annually since 2000, provides mentoring to teams through the phases of venture creation; and workshops on idea validation, pitching skills, and customer development. In 2024, teams are competing for over $330,000 in funding and in-kind prizes. The awards are funded through sponsorship, alumni donations, and campus partners. All teams who meet the requirements of the Cozad New Venture Challenge, including submitting all mandatory deliverables and meet attendance requirements, have the opportunity to compete in the Demo Showcase in April. Students will get to showcase their ideas to venture capitalists, early-stage investors, and successful entrepreneurs who serve as judges. The judges determine which teams will present their ventures at the Finals Event.Record FundingGet funding and prizes from a record pool of over $330,000.Additional TrackWe're offering an additional Healthcare Track with specialized mentoring and workshops!Demo Day GiveawayWe'll be awarding $250 and $500 prizes from a pool of $10,000 at Demo Day.Valuable ConnectionsConnect with investors and mentors that can help launch your startup. Get one-on-one deep dive sessions with mentors who are industry experts, venture capitalists, alums, and entrepreneurs.TimelineSee detailed schedule here.