This year’s Family Weekend features a new twist. The kick-off event will be a “Shark-Tank” style competition featuring idea pitches by student innovators to a panel of distinguished parent entrepreneurs.
On-line applications are now open through October 15.
The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines who are working on developing new products, services or technologies. Cash awards determined by the judges will help students take ideas to the next stage (i.e., prototype or other business need). Feedback from successful entrepreneur judges will help strengthen business models for major competitions in spring 2019.
This is the first ever business idea competition judged by parents who are innovators and leaders. The schedule is:
9:00 a.m. — Informal judge’s breakfast and welcome, judging packet
9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. –- Student pitches
10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. – Judges deliberations
11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Brief award ceremony
The event is coordinated by the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars and Syracuse University Libraries in conjunction with the SU Parents Office.