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Washington State University Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship Club


Entrepreneurship Club

Mission Statement

With the entrepreneurial mindset nothing is impossible, and our club is determined to help fellow students reach their goals by providing them with the resources they need to succeed.

Location: COMMONS BUILDING (225 SE Idaho Street)

Meeting Times: Every other Wednesday at 5 p.m. – See Instagram for more details.

CONTACT

Faculty Advisor
Marie Mayes
mmayes@wsu.edu

President
Sebastian Salas
s.sotelosalasbissel@wsu.edu

Vice President
Braydon Morgan
braydon.morgan@wsu.edu

CONNECT:

Instagram: @wsu_entrp_club

Advisory Board


Advisory Board

Chairs

Ryan Lantz, Chair
Chief Financial Officer
Valicoff Fruit Company, Inc.

LinkedIn

Amanda Adams, MSIO Vice Chair
President & General Manager
Congdon Orchards, Inc.

LinkedIn

Advisory Board Members

 

 

Ashley Aly’ce
Digital Product Leader
Optum

LinkedIn

Jeff Baker
Shelter Holdings

LinkedIn (Not active)

Jason Burt
Product Leader | ML and Data Science | Former Founder

LinkedIn

Dan Castles
Co-Founder, CEO & Board Member
Telestream, Inc

LinkedIn (Not Active)

Devin OssmanDevin Ossman, CPA
Owner & Director of Operations
Ossman Harding Dental

LinkedIn

Dave Divine
Patent Attorney/Partner
Lee & Hayes

LinkedIn

Jody Page
Advisor | Alternative Finance | Private Credit

LinkedIn

Bryan Saftler
Industry Leader @ Databricks | Startup Co-Founder | xMicrosoft
Databricks

LinkedIn

Carol Anne Sears
VP Financial Development (Retired)
Washington Mutual

Nick Somers
Partner/Patent Attorney
Lee & Hayes PC

LinkedIn

Scott Thomson
Vice President, Business Development
McKinstry

LinkedIn

Ben Woodhouse
Lighting Engineer
McKinstry

LinkedIn

Savannah Maltos

Program Coordinator

LinkedIn

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Us

Collegiate League

Business Plan Competition presenters

COLLEGIATE LEAGUE GUIDELINES

Develop ideas, build a team, write a business plan, pitch your idea for real money.

Register for BPC      BPC Event Schedule      BPC Resources

 

Congratulations to the winning Collegiate League Teams in BPC 2025.

Collegiate League

  1. Wearable Aromas – A solid perfume locket necklace designed for on-the-go, mess-free application
  2. Kerat AI – Personalized recommendation platform uses a novel technology to measure customers’ unique hair type and recommend hair care products best formulated for them.
  3. Rainmaker Solutions – Offers a turnkey automation service built for mobile car detailers.
  4. Driveway Pit Stop – Mobile Mechanic – Mobile oil changing service provides convenience to busy vehicle owners who want to keep their car well-maintained without disrupting their schedule.
  5. Miata Fitment – Simplifies the buying process with a 3D fitment visualizer, allowing users to input any wheel, tire, ansuspension setup.

Congrats to the Collegiate League Teams in the BPC 2025 April 24 Finals!

  • Driveway Pit Stop – Mobile Mechanic – Mobile oil changing service provides convenience to busy vehicle owners who want to keep their car well-maintained without disrupting their schedule.
  • Kerat AI – Personalized recommendation platform uses a novel technology to measure customers’ unique hair type and recommend hair care products best formulated for them.
  • Miata Fitment – Simplifies the buying process with a 3D fitment visualizer, allowing users to input any wheel, tire, and suspension setup.
  • Rainmaker Solutions – Offers a turnkey automation service built for mobile car detailers.
  • Wearable Aromas – A solid perfume locket necklace designed for on-the-go, mess-free application

 


RULES

Eligibility

  • The WSU Business Plan Competition is open to all Washington State University students who are enrolled in the current spring semester. At least one member of your team must be a full-time undergraduate student. Teams may include graduate students.
  • The BPC also includes a dedicated league for collegiate teams outside the WSU system. Five teams from other universities will be selected to compete in the Open League. If you are competing in the Open League, please be aware of the procedural differences listed in the competition rules.
  • To enter the competition, a team must complete the online registration. Teams should include members possessing the essential background to enable the development of a serious business plan. Interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. There is no limit on the number of members; however, only four team members can present in the presentation round. Small teams are recommended.

Competition Rules

  • Teams must submit all required documentation to advance to each stage of the competition, including a full set of pro-forma financial statements for five (5) years (statement of cash flows with first year by quarter, income statement with first year by quarter, and balance sheet). No exceptions will be made to this policy.
  • Advancing teams must send at least one team member to the virtual Team Info Session. Remote access will be available on request for teams at other campuses or enrolled online. Open League participants are not required to attend.
  • Advancing teams must also present in person during the Live Presentation Round of the competition. Only four members of the team will be allowed to present their idea before the judges during the Presentation Round of the competition. Advisors and other team members may observe, but may not participate in any way during the presentation, Q&A, or judges’ feedback session.
  • The business plan must be developed during the student’s tenure at the university. Students working with outside entrepreneurs must create an original business plan.
  • The same business idea will not be accepted at the competition more than twice. Repeat submissions after the second attempt will automatically be declined.
  • All submissions to the Business Plan Competition must live up to the higher ideals of Washington State University. Your idea must be appropriate for a university-sponsored event. The Center for Entrepreneurship reserves the right to disqualify any entry that in its judgment violates the letter or the spirit of the competition or exceeds the bounds of social convention.
  • Prize money will be divided equally among all registered team members.

Preparation

We encourage all BPC teams to attend Resource Nights, a series of speaker sessions that bring in experts from WSU’s business community to discuss various aspects of starting and launching a venture. Offered throughout the spring semester, these sessions are open to all students and the public and are available online. Open League participants are encouraged to watch Resource Night sessions as they prepare.

 

COMPETITION ROUNDS

Virtual Screening Round

The Screening Round is the first stage in the competition. Submit your 1-page executive summary online for scoring by our judges. 20 Collegiate League teams and five Open League teams will be selected from the Screening Round applicants to move forward to the virtual Presentation Round.

View Screening Round Rubric

Virtual Presentation Round

After the Screening Round, you’ll receive an email listing the teams that will advance to the Virtual Presentation Round on the day of the Business Plan Competition. If your team is selected, you will need to submit your full business plan (4-7 pages), financial statements, and pitch deck (10-15 slides) by the deadline in the BPC schedule.

View Written Plan Rubric

How the Virtual Presentation Round Works

Collegiate League teams are divided up into five leagues; each league includes four teams. The Open League will include the five teams selected to participate in this round.

During the Presentation Round, each team delivers a business plan pitch to a panel of judges, following the schedule below:

FORMAT/TIMING

  • Tech Transition: 5 minutes
  • Team Set-up: 5 minutes
  • Presentation: 15 minutes
  • Q & A: 15 minutes
  • Judges Feedback: 5 minutes

Presenting teams are evaluated both on their written plan and their presentations. Judging criteria include team presentation and style, the customer problem, solution, value proposition, competitive advantages, market and sales strategy, management, financials and offering, and investment analysis. Judges choose the top team in each Collegiate League to advance to the final round. The winning Open League team is selected during this round.

View Presentation Rubric

Live FINAL ROUND

Competition organizers announce the top five Collegiate League teams that will advance to the final round.

HOW THE FINAL ROUND WORKS

Finalist Collegiate League teams present by a live panel of judges and a live audience who have no prior knowledge of their plans and have not seen their earlier presentations, following the schedule below:

  • Set up: 5 minutes
  • Presentation: 15 minutes
  • Questions and feedback: 10 minutes

Trade Show

All participants including High School and Open League participants will present their business during a cocktail hour Trade Show in the Senior Ballroom before the Awards Ceremony and dinner. This is a great opportunity for teams to network with and meet judges from all of the leagues.

COMPETITION AWARDS DINNER

All participants and judges are invited to join the Awards Ceremony and Dinner where competition organizers will host a Key Note speaker, award Merit Prizes, and announce the winning teams from all leagues.

Congrats to Collegiate League Teams advancing to Presentation Round in the 2025 Business Plan Competition!

  • AVIA – An artificial bird manufacturing company that produces artificial birds for airline manufacturers.
  • Bong Caddy – A unique all-in-one storage solution for bong users
  • Carma Pay – Handle secure payments, verify titles through the state databases, and complete the car title transfer, all in one simple, trusted flow
  • Driveway Pit Stop – Mobile Mechanic – Mobile oil changing service provides convenience to busy vehicle owners who want to keep their car well-maintained without disrupting their schedule.
  • Helical Solutions – Leverages CRISPR technology for rapid, onsite DNA/RNA analysis in 40 minutes without a lab
  • Kerat AI – Personalized recommendation platform uses a novel technology to measure customers’ unique hair type and recommend hair care products best formulated for them.
  • Miata Fitment – Simplifies the buying process with a 3D fitment visualizer, allowing users to input any wheel, tire, and suspension setup.
  • Next Step Invest – Teaches financial literacy through three integrated components
  • OasiFi – An all-in-one platform for exploring, managing and optimizing passive income.
  • Pop!Golf – Brings the ultimate portable mini-golf experience straight to your event,
  • Rainmaker Solutions – Offers a turnkey automation service built for mobile car detailers.
  • REFRSH – A gamified digital detox app incentivizing young adults to engage in real-life experiences while reducing screen time.
  • Side Quests – Offers users tailored experiences for diverse experiences
  • Stepocalypse – Platform that reimagines walking as an immersive, rewarding game experience.
  • stillHQ – FIrst Linux-based OS that is truly consumer-friendly.
  • Team Cat – An experience-driven cat cafe
  • The Growth Innovators – Offers a more robust vetting process by acting as a trusted connector between employers and gig workers.
  • Three Doughmigos – A small restaurant in the heart of downtown Boise providing high-quality artisan pizza.
  • Vision Tag – An advanced learning management system (LMS) with an interactive desktop device that integrates hardware, software, and AI to modernize classroom learning.
  • Wearable Aromas – A solid perfume locket necklace designed for on-the-go, mess-free application
  • Data Deviant (Alternate) – Create a more efficient testing environment by limiting the amount of data that is affected by sensors malfunctioning
  • Lucio’s (Alternate) – Bringing people together through an unforgettable authentic Italian dining experience in Costa Rica
  • Mythic (Alternate) – A premium, all-natural hair oil designed to tame frizz, deeply hydrate, and promote overall hair health
  • PetAura (Alternate) – Monitors pet’s health in real-time
  • Round-the-clock Rain (Alternate) – A smart irrigation system built using AI to determine effective irrigation water usage.

Congrats to the Winning Teams in the 2024 Business Plan Competition!

The winning College League teams were:

  • Cordoba, $15,000
    Cordoba is an AI plug-in that facilitates communication between architects and clients.
  • PicsGenie, $10,000
    PicsGenie uses AI to allow anyone to customize shirts in under 15 seconds.
  • Snap Chains, $7,000
    Snap Chains is an alternative snow chain designed for instant installation and removal.
  • Serenity Spaces, $4,000
    Serenity Spaces is a furnishing company that allows individuals to rent customized furnishing packages.
  • Main Street Trader Bar and Grill, $2,000
    Main Street Trader Bar and Grill is a restaurant in Vancouver, Washington, offering diverse food, drink, and live entertainment.

 

For more information and a complete list of winning teams, visit WSU INSIDER

Important Dates

Team Registration Opens: January 15, 2025
Team Registration Deadline: March 7, 2025
Executive Summary Due: March 21, 2025
Business Plan & Slide Deck Due: April 11, 2025
Business Plan Competition Presentation Round: April 18, 2025
Business Plan Competition Finals Round: April 24, 2025

Questions?

Ask about the BPC

 

Winner: Cordoba
Team members: Christopher Larsen and Morgan Dixon (not shownn)

 

Serenity Spaces, Fourth Place Winner, presenting at the WSU 2024 BPC

 

VetCare Assist presenting at the Trade Show 2024

Ownership and Disclosure

All participants own the rights to their ideas.

Contestants must properly acknowledge any trademarks or copyrighted materials of others that are incorporated into the contestants’ materials. The contestants are responsible for obtaining any necessary permission before incorporating such materials into their submissions. Once materials are submitted, Washington State University and its schools and colleges reserve the right to publish information about the contestants’ work in university publications and to release information to the news media. The judging/presentation will be conducted in an open meeting with possible attendance by faculty, students and staff as well as media representatives and the general public.

Patents

Where applicable, contestants may choose to file patent applications on their own or to disclose their inventions to the Washington State University Research Foundation before or after the competition. Submission of an idea to the competition should be considered a public disclosure of the idea. (In some countries, patent applications must be filed prior to disclosure. In the U.S. inventors generally have one year after disclosure in which to file patent applications.)* Ultimately, protection of sensitive materials is the sole responsibility of the individual or team participating in the competition. *The Competition Rules are based in part on those of the University of Wisconsin Madison, University of Washington, and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania

WSU Business Plan Competition

business plan competition wsu

Business Plan Competition

Develop ideas, build a team, write a business plan, pitch your idea for real money.

Register for BPC      BPC Event Schedule      BPC Resources

 

Congratulations to the winning teams in BPC 2025.

Watch BPC25 Presentations
Watch Award Ceremony

WSU Collegiate League Winners

  1. Wearable Aromas – A solid perfume locket necklace designed for on-the-go, mess-free application
  2. Kerat AI – Personalized recommendation platform uses a novel technology to measure customers’ unique hair type and recommend hair care products best formulated for them.
  3. Rainmaker Solutions – Offers a turnkey automation service built for mobile car detailers.
  4. Driveway Pit Stop – Mobile Mechanic – Mobile oil changing service provides convenience to busy vehicle owners who want to keep their car well-maintained without disrupting their schedule.
  5. Miata Fitment – Simplifies the buying process with a 3D fitment visualizer, allowing users to input any wheel, tire, ansuspension setup.

Open League Winner

  1. Neuro Prima – a cranial implant eliminating one surgery for faster recovery and less complications (Johns Hopkins University)

High School League Winners

  1. Vital – Sammamish High School – AI Landscaping Service
  2. Sweet Labs – Mead High School – Interactive dessert shop
  3. Someone Loves You – Mead High School – Hoodies with uplifting messaging.
  4. Arachnid Apparel – Mead High School – Recycling clothes into trendy fashions

Merit Prize Winners

  • CougsFirst! Best Trade Show: Someone Loves You – Mead High School – Hoodies with uplifting messaging.
  • Best Tech Innovation: Kerat AI – Personalized recommendation platform uses a novel technology to measure customers’ unique hair type and recommend hair care products best formulated for them.
  • Best Social Impact: Whisker & Willow: Cat Cafe – An experience-driven cat cafe that relieves overcrowded shelters
  • Valicoff Fruit Company Best Ag Innovation: AgTag – Electronic ear tag that monitors biometrics and location in livestock

Welcome to the 2025 WSU Business Plan Competition

Registration began Wednesday, January 15, 2025 – Enter Today!

If you’re a student entrepreneur or aspiring business owner, the Center for Entrepreneurship presents the WSU Business Plan Competition – an unparalleled opportunity to practice entrepreneurship in a real-world setting and receive guidance as you launch a new venture, plus a chance to win thousands of dollars in prize money! Submit your entry by clicking here – Register for BPC – or on the button above. Deadline is Friday, March 7, 2025 to register. Executive Summaries are due by March 21, 2025.

The Center for Entrepreneurship is running the 2025 WSU Business Plan Competition in a hybrid format. Participating in a business plan competition is rewarding and we are excited to continue to encourage and showcase student innovation.

Learn by Doing

  • Sharpen skills. Working on a business plan team develops innovative thinking, builds leadership, and refines communication skills.
  • Network. If you’re a finalist, you and your team will present your idea to investors, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals at the competition in April. Finalists also have the opportunity to exchange ideas with judges over dinner.
  • Prepare for your future. Take what you’ve learned and apply it in an existing company or new venture.

Launch a New Venture

  • Move from idea to execution. Develop, test, and pitch a startup idea with your own team.
  • Get advice and mentoring. Seasoned entrepreneurs, industry experts, and entrepreneurship faculty mentors devote countless hours to help students navigate the entrepreneurial process.
  • Build momentum. Take your experience in the competition and invest in the growth of your venture.

Congratulations, Past Winners!

Past Winners

Be a Sponsor

Support the BPC

Questions?

Ask about the BPC

Win Cash Prizes

Collegiate League

Grand Prize – $15,000
Second Place Prize – $10,000
Third Place Prize – $7,000
Fourth Place Prize – $4,000
Fifth Place Prize – $2,000

Open Collegiate League

Foster Garvey Grand Prize – $5,000

High School League

Grand Prize – $5,000
Second Place Prize – $2,000
Third Place Prize – $1,000
Fourth Place Prize – $750

Merit Prizes

  • Valicoff Ag Innovation Prize – $3,000
  • Best Tech Venture Prize – $2,500
  • Best Social Impact Venture Prize – $2,500
  • CougsFirst! Best Trade Show – $2,500

Thank you, 2025 Sponsors!

 

Crimson Partner

sponsor logo

Dave Divine

Silver Partner

Bronze Partner

The Robert and Carolyn Wolfe Family Giving Fund

Dave & Deborah Grant

Mark Wuotila

Bryan Saftler

The Business Plan Competition is critically important for helping people to turn ideas into reality. I am excited to volunteer as a judge to support the competition and the Center, now that I am on the other side.— Jonah Friedl , NOMAD founder and WSU alumnus (Carson College of Business, Entrepreneurship – 2016)

Foster Garvey Open Collegiate League


Foster Garvey Open Collegiate League

Develop ideas, build a team, write a business plan, pitch your idea for real money.

Register for BPC BPC Event Schedule BPC Resources

Congratulations to all our 2025 Business Plan Competition Open League Advancing Teams!

  • Neuro Prima – a cranial implant eliminating one surgery for faster recovery and less complications (Johns Hopkins University)
  • Universal Extrusion Solutions – a desktop sized, plug-and-play device that converts pellets or shredded recycled waste into filament, which can be fed directly into a 3D printer or spooled onto a new filament roll (Eastern Washington University)
  • AgTag – an electronic ear tag that monitors biometrics and location in livestock (University of Montana Western)
  • WineClub – a digital wine community and club that connects wineries with consumers through an intuitive mobile app (Washington State University Tri-Cities)

Welcome to the 2025 Business Plan Competition Open League!

 


RULES

ELIGIBILITY

  • The Open League of The WSU Business Plan Competition is open to teams from regional universities who are enrolled in the current spring semester. At least one member of your team must be a currently enrolled student, undergraduate, masters, PhD or professional.
  • The top four teams from national universities will be selected from the Screening Round to compete live on the WSU Pullman campus in the Finals Presentation Round of the Open League.
    • To enter the competition, a team must complete the online registration. Teams should include members possessing the essential background to enable the development of a serious business plan. Interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. There is no limit on the number of members; however, only four team members can present in the virtual presentation round. Small teams are recommended.

COMPETITION RULES

  • Teams must submit all required documentation to advance to each stage of the competition. The 4–7-page summary must include a full set of pro-forma financial statements for five (5) years (statement of cash flows with first year by month, income statement with first year by month, and balance sheet). No teams will advance to the Final Round without full financials.
  • Advancing teams must send at least one team member to the virtual Team Info Session. Remote access will be available on request for teams at other campuses or enrolled online.
  • Must present during the in- person Presentation Round here in Pullman. Only four members of the team will be allowed to present their idea before the judges during the Presentation Round of the competition. Advisors and other team members may observe, but may not participate in any way during the presentation, Q&A, or judges’ feedback session.
  • Advancing teams are invited to present their business in person during the Trade Show. This is a great opportunity to meet and network with judges from various industries and continue pitching your business.
  • Advancing teams are also invited to join the Awards Ceremony & Dinner following the Trade Show.
  • The business plan must be developed during the student’s tenure at the university. Students working with outside entrepreneurs must create an original business plan.
  • The same business idea will not be accepted at the competition more than twice. Repeat submissions after the second attempt will automatically be declined.
  • All submissions to the Business Plan Competition must live up to the higher ideals of Washington State University. Your idea must be appropriate for a university-sponsored event. The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies reserves the right to disqualify any entry that in its judgment violates the letter or the spirit of the competition or exceeds the bounds of social convention.
  • Foster Garvey $5000 Prize money will be divided equally among all registered team members.

View Screening Round Rubric     View Written Plan Rubric     View Presentation Rubric

Happy Pop Team, From University of Washington, Winning the BPC 2024 Open League Grand Price, With Foster Garvey Sponsor Representative Dan Wadkins, Associate Dean David Whidbee, and CfE Executive Paul Warner

 

Important Dates

Team Registration Opens: January 15, 2025
Team Registration Deadline: March 7, 2025
Executive Summary Due: March 21, 2025
Business Plan & Slide Deck Due: April 11, 2025
Business Plan Competition Finals Round: April 24, 2025

Questions?

Ask about the BPC

Ownership and Disclosure

All participants own the rights to their ideas.

Contestants must properly acknowledge any trademarks or copyrighted materials of others that are incorporated into the contestants’ materials. The contestants are responsible for obtaining any necessary permission before incorporating such materials into their submissions. Once materials are submitted, Washington State University and its schools and colleges reserve the right to publish information about the contestants’ work in university publications and to release information to the news media. The judging/presentation will be conducted in an open meeting with possible attendance by faculty, students and staff as well as media representatives and the general public.

Patents

Where applicable, contestants may choose to file patent applications on their own or to disclose their inventions to the Washington State University Research Foundation before or after the competition. Submission of an idea to the competition should be considered a public disclosure of the idea. (In some countries, patent applications must be filed prior to disclosure. In the U.S. inventors generally have one year after disclosure in which to file patent applications.)* Ultimately, protection of sensitive materials is the sole responsibility of the individual or team participating in the competition. *The Competition Rules are based in part on those of the University of Wisconsin Madison, University of Washington, and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania

Congratulations to all our 2024 Business Plan Competition Participants

We saw fierce competition this year and would like to congratulate all participants for all their hard work and dedication. For more information and a complete list of winners, visit: WSU INSIDER

Watch Award Ceremony on YouTube

We are delighted to announce the winning team of the Foster Garvey Open Collegiate League competition:

Open League

  1. Happy Pop($5,000)

 

High School League


HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE GUIDELINES

Develop ideas, build a team, write a business plan, pitch your idea for real money.

Register for BPC BPC Event Schedule BPC Resources

 

Congratulations to the winning teams in BPC 2025.

High School League

  1. Vital – Sammamish High School – AI Landscaping Service
  2. Sweet Labs – Mead High School – Interactive dessert shop
  3. Someone Loves You – Mead High School – Hoodies with uplifting messaging.
  4. Arachnid Apparel – Mead High School – Recycling clothes into trendy fashions

CougsFirst! Best Trade Show: Someone Loves You

 

Congratulations to all our advancing High School League Business Plan Competition 2025 Participants

  • Arachnid Apparel – Mead High School – Recycling clothes into trendy fashions
  • Someone Loves You – Mead High School – Hoodies with uplifting messaging.
  • Sweet Labs – Mead High School – Interactive dessert shop
  • Vital – Sammamish High School – AI Landscaping Service
  • JC Duck Calls – Mead High School  (Alternate) – High-quality, tunable, and affordable duck calls

RULES

Eligibility

  • The contest is open to all Washington State high school students. To enter the competition, a team must complete the online registration. Teams should include members possessing the essential background to enable the development of a serious business plan. Interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. There is no limit on the number of members; however, small teams are recommended.
  • Teams must have a school or community advisor.

Competition Rules

  • Advancing teams must present in-person on the Pullman campus during the Final day of the competition. Only four members of the team will be allowed to present their idea before the judges during the Final Round of the competition.
  • All teams that present during the Final Round must be present in person at the Trade Show before Awards Dinner.
  • The same business idea will not be accepted at the competition more than twice. Repeat submissions after the second attempt will automatically be declined.
  • All submissions to the Business Plan Competition must live up to the higher ideals of Washington State University. Your idea must be appropriate for a university-sponsored event. The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies reserves the right to disqualify any entry that in its judgment violates the letter or the spirit of the competition or exceeds the bounds of social convention.
  • Prize money will be divided equally among all registered team members.

ROUNDS OF COMPETITION

Screening Round

The Screening Round is the first major hurdle you’ll face in the competition. Submit your 2-minute video online for scoring by our judges. Five presenting teams will be selected from this first round.

View Video Rubric

Presentation Round

After the Screening Round, you’ll receive an email naming the teams that will advance to the Presentation Round on the day of the Business Plan Competition. If your team is selected, you’ll need to submit your 1-page executive summary and pitch deck (10-15 slides) by the deadline in the BPC schedule.

View Presentation Rubric

Executive Summary Rubric

How the Presentation Round Works

Our High School League includes five teams. During the Presentation Round, each team delivers a presentation of its business plan to a panel of judges, following the schedule below:

  • Set up: 10 minutes
  • Presentation: 15 minutes
  • Questions and feedback: 20 minutes

Presenting teams are evaluated both on their written plan and their presentations. Judging criteria include team presentation and style, the customer problem, solution, value proposition, competitive advantages, market, and sales strategy, management, and financial planning.

Trade Show

All participants including High School and Open League participants will present their business during a cocktail hour Trade Show in the Senior Ballroom before the Awards Ceremony and dinner. This is a great opportunity for teams to network with and meet judges from all of the leagues.

Competition Awards Dinner

If you competed in the Presentation Round, you and your teammates will dine with the judges—a priceless opportunity to build professional connections. Following dinner, competition organizers will announce the winning teams.

Important Dates

2-minute video: Friday, March 21, 2025
Initial review of all submissions: March 24-28, 2025
Announcement of top 5 teams: Monday, March 31, 2025
Team Information sessions scheduled individually.
Final Five High School 1-page executive summary due April 11, 2025
Final High School Presentations in Pullman, Thursday, April 24, 2025 (travel funding available)

Questions?

Ask about the BPC

 

Cultural ties: Mead High student creates Red Thread Unraveled to benefit Chinese adoptees

Read The Spokesman-Review Story

 

Congratulations to all our 2024 Business Plan Competition Participants

We saw fierce competition this year and would like to congratulate all participants for all their hard work and dedication.

  • Protein Palace, $5,000
    Protein Palace is a fast casual restaurant specializing in high protein bowls and sandwiches.
  • Eco Trail, $2,000
    Eco Trail is an app that allows hikers to view a trail before they hike it.
  • 7b Surf Co., $1,000
    7b Surf Co. offers professional wake surfing lessons to individuals living and vacationing in Sandpoint, Idaho.
  • Victoria Paints, $750
    Victoria Paints offers affordable custom wall art.

For more information and a complete list of winners, visit: WSU INSIDER

 


Protein Palace, from Mercer Island High School, Winning the BPC 2024 High School League, with Believe In Me Foundation Representative, Dan Menser, Associate Dean David Whidbee, and CfE Executive Paul Warner

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Hello

The Center for Entrepreneurship At Washington State University – Go Cougs

About The Center for Entrepreneurship

Washington State University and our surrounding community offer a wealth of resources for students and alumni who want to create impact, from speaking events to mentorship and seed funding – and The Center for Entrepreneurship is the starting point to discovering all of them!

Established in 1995, the WSU Center for Entrepreneurship (CfE)  opens the world of entrepreneurial opportunity to students and promotes engagement, scholarship, and dialogue across the university and with stakeholders throughout Washington and the world. CfE is open to students from every college and major throughout the WSU system and provides programming, activities, resources, and events that help students identify the next right step for their entrepreneurial journey.

As a senior in college, designing a product and then traveling to Tanzania for hands-on field testing is something I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to do at any other university.— Annalise Miller, Kule co-founder & WSU alumna (Carson College of Business, Entrepreneurship & College of Arts and Sciences, Math – 2017)

Partner With Us

The work of the Center for Entrepreneurship would not be possible without the support of the Cougar Community. Your participation as mentors for student startup teams, Business Plan Competition judges, and financial contributors enables our team to continue the important work of developing students who will become the innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

We thank you for your support. We encourage you to learn more about getting and staying, involved in the exciting work we are doing at WSU.

 

 

 

Entrepreneurship Skills and Knowledge Accelerator registration open

PULLMAN, Wash. – The Carson College of Business is running its inaugural WSU Entrepreneurship Skills and Knowledge Accelerator 8 a.m.-5:45 p.m. June 11-15, in Spark 339.

The WSU Entrepreneurship Skills and Knowledge Accelerator (WESKA) is an immersive, week-long accelerator boot camp open to WSU postdoctoral, doctoral and master’s students from any discipline or WSU location who want to learn more about entrepreneurship.

This is not a sit-back and listen course. It is an exciting, dig-deep, learning experience. Activities include analyses, real-time work with ideas, role-plays, videos, group discussions, expert panels, anecdotes, lively social events, practice in financial and market assessment and other tools.

The WESKA curriculum has been designed by Carson College faculty, led by associate professor Arvin Sahaym. Sessions will be led by top WSU faculty in strategic entrepreneurship, finance, management and marketing, with guest presentations by campus, community and alumni experts in start-ups. WESKA is not offered for academic credit.

Participants may apply at the WESKA website until 5 p.m., Friday, May 18. Applications after this date may be considered if space is available. Interested participants are strongly encouraged to consult their faculty advisor/supervisor before applying for WESKA.

The Carson College is offering WESKA at no cost to the WSU graduate and post-doctoral community, with the generous support of Carson College donors. Breakfast and lunch are provided daily. Housing assistance is available to interested students coming from campuses beyond Pullman.

Contact:

Stephanie Rink, Carson College of Business, 509-335-8150, stephanie.rink@wsu.edu.