Benefits

Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge

Championship Prizes
1st – $50K | 2nd – $30K | 3rd – $20K | 4th – $15K | 5th – $10K

Semi-Finals Round Prizes (All Top 25 Teams Win Cash Prizes)
2nd – $3.5K | 3rd – $2.5K | 4th – $1.5K | 5th – $500

Special Recognition Awards

Social Impact Award: $5K

Global Impact Award: $5K

Ready for Market: $5K

Pitch Slam!

1st – $10K | 2nd – $5K | 3rd – $2.5K

Innovation Challenge

1st – $10K | 2nd – $5K | 3rd – $2.5K

e-Fest provides a generous stipend to support costs for travel, ground transportation, hotel accommodation and meals for the Top 25 Finalists teams and their faculty advisor to travel to Minneapolis, MN for the three-day e-Fest event. Our host, The University of St. Thomas, issues a travel stipend check directly to advisors to support expenses incurred for e-Fest. Advisors are responsible for managing travel stipends and arranging all hotel and travel accommodations for themselves and their student teams.

Universities requiring air travel to attend e-Fest will receive a travel stipend of $3,750 per team. Local teams not travelling by air will receive a stipend of $1,500 per team. Please note that the travel stipend is considered reimbursement for expenses incurred. Advisors may not receive their checks until 4 weeks after we receive your W-9.

The Satellite Media Tour (SMT) provides an opportunity for teams to connect with multiple media outlets from across the country to conduct interviews for television, radio and print media. Teams will select one student member to represent their business venture at the e-Fest satellite media tour.

During the SMT, students will be paired with Dr. Danielle Campeau, Associate Dean of the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, who will answer media questions about e-Fest and the Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge. Your team representative will talk about your specific venture to media outlets primarily in your school’s local market.

Please note, not every team will be selected for a media interview. We are working with an agency to pitch each team and arrange interviews, but availability will vary greatly by geography. As a professional development opportunity, all teams will receive media training whether or not they are selected to interview.

e-Fest is much more than just a business plan competition. The three-day event was designed to provide students with intentional collaboration, networking and professional development opportunities to increase their growth and acumen as entrepreneurs.

Students and advisors are able to attend professional development workshops led by seasoned experts from around the country. Workshop topics may include building online presence and e-commerce, SEM & SEO strategy, IP and business formation/ legal advice for start-ups, attracting seed capital & angel investors.