New Ventures Challenge

Powered by ULM College of Business & Social Sciences and EAP – A Division of BRF

 

The University of Louisiana Monroe College of Business and Social Sciences, in partnershipwith EAP, developed the Warhawk New Ventures Challenge to:

• Promote and support college students in their entrepreneurial endeavors and new venture creations
• Encourage commercialization of promising ideas emerging from ULM
• Build bridges betweenULMstudents,ULMitself, andthe NELAentrepreneurial community
• lncentivize and assist student preparationfor state and national level businessplan and pitch competitions like the Entrepreneurship Pelican https://www.ulm.edu/pelicancup/

The competition is open only to ULM students registered in Fall 2025 classes, regardless of major or filed of study. Students from other universities, ULM alumni, staff, faculty, or professionals are not eligible.

 

Overview

The Warhawk New Ventures Challenge is a Northeast Louisiana entrepreneurial and business development program. The competition's main goal is to promote opportunities for real-world education in entrepreneurship and boost awareness and innovation commercialization in the NELA region.

The initiative is sponsored by the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP), which is a division of BRF. EAP's mission is to develop the entrepreneurial eco-system in North Louisiana. All events will be held at the University of Louisiana Monroe Campus.

 

Why Participate?

Student participants will have opportunities to receive coaching from industry experts and build camaraderie with other entrepreneurially minded individuals.

If you have an idea for a product, service, or new technology that could be transformed into a scalable business, you are strongly encouraged to apply. Apart from sharpening your business and financial acumen, the competition will also provide:

• A chance to win cash prizes that you may use any way you see fit including investing into your startup
• Learn to think like a boss via real world experience in the startup and capital raising process
• Build your networking and business collaboration skills with industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs
• Develop soft and hard skills that make you more appealing in the job marketplace
• Learn what it takes to be a business winner
• Get valuable feedback and experience to be more competitive in other business plan and pitch competitions

 

Cash Prizes

The top 3 finalists will be awarded cash prizes.

1st Place (Winner) - $3,000

2nd Place (Runner up) - $1,000

3rd Place (Runner up) - $500

 

Elevator Pitch Competition Winner

$250

 

Policies

Application Fees

$0 - FREE. There are no application fees.

Eligibility & Student Enrollment

Applicants and all team members must be currently enrolled as a student at ULM in the Fall 2025 semester. Students may only participate on ONE (1) Warhawk New Ventures Challenge team.

Enrollment Verification

All team applicants must provide their ULM email address and Campus Wide Identification (CWID)number in the Initial Application and Final Deliverables Package submission for eligibility verification purposes. Other information will be requested as well.

Team Size

ULM students must apply as teams of 1 to 4 students. Ideally, teams should consist of students from different academic disciplines. Teams with wide skillsets tend to do better in business plan competitions. Though it is not required, we do recommend that at least one person on the team be a business major or have some business experience.

 

Key Dates and Events

Early Registration Due

Sept, 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM

https://www.ulm.edu/newventureschallenge/

Business Development Workshop

Oct. 2, 2025

Online and Hemphill 124

Late Registration Due

Oct. 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM

https://www.ulm.edu/newventureschallenge/

Final Deliverables Package

Oct. 26 at 11:59 PM

https:/www.ulm.edu/newventureschallenge/

Finalists Announced

Nov. 7, 2025 at 12:00 Noon

College of Business and Social Science Facebook Page

Finalists Workshop

Nov. 11, 2025, 9:30 to 10:45 AM

Hemphill 124

Revised Deliverables – Finalists Only

Nov. 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM

newventureschallenge@ulm.edu

Final Pitch Competition

Nov. 18, 2025, 9:00 to 11:30 AM

The Terrace

Elevator Pitch Competition and Awards Ceremony

Nov. 18, 2025, 1:00 to 2:00 PM

The Terrace