Student Business Opportunities

Opportunities for Connecticut Entrepreneurs - Fall 2021

$10,000 CTNext Entrepreneur Innovation Awards (EIA)

APPLY by September 1
ELIGIBILITY: CT business
FINALS: In person in New Haven, evening of October 14.
DETAILS: Read further here. Note: you will need to provide letters of good standing from the Secretary of State, DOL and DRS. Click here for more info.

$50,000 Bridgeport Business Challenge

APPLY by October 13 at www.Back-Offices.com/Bridgeport
ELIGIBILITY: Business owner must be a Bridgeport resident; Plan may be for a new or existing business.
INFO SESSION: September 14 at 6 pm at University of Bridgeport Cox Student Center
TRAINING: 6 pm September 29. Register at https://tinyurl.com/MOCO-Sep-29 Dinner provided.
FINALS: October 20 from 6 to 8 pm via ZOOM.
SPONSORED BY: City of Bridgeport, CEDF

Entrepreneurs Society Meeting

October 19 6-8 pm via ZOOM. Practice pitching session with feedback. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ES-Oct19

$3000 Community College Elevator Pitch.

APPLY by Thursday, October 28
ELIGIBILITY: Community College student currently enrolled in Connecticut
CATEGORIES: Pre-rev and Post-rev (>$10,000 in sales)
HOW TO APPLY Go to www.Back-Offices.com/cc. Describe product or service and competitive differentiation; plus provide a link to a 60–second elevator pitch (problem and solution) posted to YouTube.
AWARDS: $250 will be awarded to the top entry from each school. In addition, the top 5 from each school will advance to the Finals where an additional $1000 in cash awards will be distributed.
FINALS: Thursday, November 4, 6:30 - 8:30 pm via Zoom

$15,000 University Elevator Pitch Olympics.

APPLY by November 23.
ELIGIBILITY: Student at a CT college or high school. Company must be student-owned and conceived. Businesses with sales in excess of $10,000 are ineligible. Entrants who won more than $500 in an Entrepreneurship Foundation competition in the prior 18 months are ineligible.
HOW TO APPLY Go to www.Back-Offices.com/elevator. Describe product or service and competitive differentiation; plus provide link to a 60–second elevator pitch (problem and solution) posted to YouTube.
FINALS: 2:00 pm, December 3 via ZOOM. For more see www.EntrepreneurshipFoundation.org/college

$10,000 New Product Competition

APPLY by November 23 www.Back-Offices.com/product
ELIGIBILITY: Connecticut residents and students at CT schools; products must be pre-revenue (not yet in marketplace, other than on a limited trial basis for market testing).
ZOOM TRAINING:“Pitching to Investors” November 16, 6:00-7:30 pm. https://tinyurl.com/bhrba7ha
FINALS: November 30 at IACT (Inventors Association of CT) meeting from 6 to 8 pm via Zoom. Finalists will give a 5-minute PowerPoint presentation and answer questions from judges about the product and plan to commercialize.
DETAILS: www.EntrepreneurshipFoundation.org/product
QUESTIONS? email