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.
• Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI tools may be used in the Business Plan Competition as support tools—not as substitutes for original thinking or entrepreneurial effort. Teams are fully responsible for the quality, accuracy, and originality of their submissions. Participants must review the AI Use Guide for Students in the General Resources section prior to submission. Any use of AI requires a brief AI Use Statement in the written materials.

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

• Team Set-up: 5 minutes
• Presentation: 15 minutes
• Q & A: 10 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.

Welcome to the 2026 WSU Business Plan Competition

Registration opens Wednesday, January 21, 2026!

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 13, 2026, to register. Executive Summaries are due by March 27, 2026.

The Center for Entrepreneurship is running the 2026 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.

RULES

ELIGIBILITY

• The Foster Garvey Open League of The WSU Business Plan Competition is open to teams from regional universities (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Wyoming) 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 the regional universities will be advanced from the Screening Round to compete live on the WSU Pullman campus in the Finals Presentation Round of the Foster Garvey 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 final 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 finals teams must have at least one team member (omit be) in attendance for the Zoom team info session.
• 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 Final 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.
• Finalist Foster Garvey Open League teams present by a live panel of judges 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

• Advancing teams are encouraged 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 attend 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 $5,000 Prize money will be divided equally among all registered team members.
• Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI tools may be used in the Business Plan Competition as support tools—not as substitutes for original thinking or entrepreneurial effort. Teams are fully responsible for the quality, accuracy, and originality of their submissions. Participants must review the AI Use Guide for Students in the General Resources section prior to submission. Any use of AI requires a brief AI Use Statement in the written materials.

View Screening Round Rubric     View Written Plan Rubric     View Presentation Rubric