Now Open Statewide
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup will be the premier business plan competition for the state of Louisiana with one of the largest cash prizes in the nation. The goal is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work.
Sponsorship Opportunities for the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup
INVEST IN LOUSIANA'S FUTURE ECONOMY
Do you want to grow the entrepreneurial spirit in Louisiana’s next generation of business owners?
With your backing, the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup will inspire college students to improve their lives, communities, and state through innovative business ideas.
The Competition
The competition will be open to full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate degrees (including certificates) seeking statewide students. It will require a written formal business plan judged by business owners and investors. Six finalists will be chosen to conduct an in-person oral presentation to top-tier entrepreneurs. Also, during the awards luncheon, each team will select one member to conduct a 90-second “Elevator Pitch,” and the winner will receive a cash award. All colleges and majors are encouraged to compete, and most often the best teams are comprised of students of different majors.
How to apply?
Click on the competition guide for more information.
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Participants
Participants will also have access to networks of entrepreneurs, economic developers, investors, and others as they move through the program. The rigor of the competition sharpens critical thinking, team building, presentation, and other soft skills – all-important to career success.
Key Component
A key component to team success is a faculty or staff advisor. Each team will be required to have one advisor, who will work with them throughout the competition on focusing their idea, creating and polishing the written business plan, and preparing for the oral presentation. Advisors are eligible to work with more than one team and are also awarded a cash prize for their team(s) placing. Would you like to help? Training will be provided, so you don’t need entrepreneurship experience to participate.
Prizes
FIRST PLACE TEAM* $50,000
SECOND PLACE TEAM* $25,000
THIRD PLACE TEAM* $10,000
Graduate Division:
FIRST PLACE TEAM* $25,000
SECOND PLACE TEAM* $15,000
THIRD PLACE TEAM* $10,000
ELEVATOR PITCH WINNER (in both divisions) $2,000
*Fauclty advisors of 1st-3rd place teams in both divisions to receive $3,000 each.
All winning team members and their advisors will also receive certificates and their schools will receive trophies.
