2024 Next Top Entrepreneur Competition

applications are now closed!

2024 Winners: 1st place, Pet HealthCare Innovations from Florida Atlantic University; 2nd place, Fire Truck Rentals of Atlanta from University of Georgia;
3rd place, KnoxBots from University of Tennessee.

The UGA Entrepreneurship Program invites you to take part in UGA's Next Top Entrepreneur Competition on April 18, 2024, from 5:00 - 8:30 pm in Athens, Georgia (in-person only).

UGA's Next Top Entrepreneur is open to student startup teams from all over the country. During this live event, teams pitch their existing business plans or business idea in front of a live audience and a panel of judges. At the end of the competition, one winning team is awarded $10,000.

About the competition:

Students from any college or university with a solid business idea, concept, product and/or existing business are invited to pitch in front of a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs for a chance to win $10,000. 

Teams will be evaluated on their business model, the validity of their idea, and their ability to execute. Our judges are looking for the business with greatest potential for success.

Teams traveling out of state for the competition are eligible for travel reimbursement of up to $1500 (not per student).

Startup Team Requirements

  • In your application, please include:

    • Undergraduate and Graduate-level students only.

      • No doctoral students

    • If a member of the team has graduated, they must have graduated within the past three semesters (spring, summer, fall)

    • Businesses must have less than $2 million in cumulative life-time sales plus cumulative lifetime third party funding, grants or awards

    • There is no limit on the type of business eligible

    • Only four members of the team may participate in the competition (no exceptions)

how to apply:

In your application, please include:

  • Business Abstract: include in your abstract who is the target market and who is the addressable market

  • 2-minute pitch video

  • Statement of revenue for the last 12 months

  • Additional photos, videos, and/or website links to help your business stand out.

Only completed applications will be accepted.

The applicant pool will be judged by an internal committee. The top 8 teams will advance to the next round in Athens, Georgia. 

The pitch competition will take place in front of a live audience with a panel of 5 judges who have experience in the startup and business world. These judges will pick the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winning teams!

past winners

2023: Ox Sox, SteadiSpoon, & Gently Soap
2022: Thryft Ship from the University of Georgia
2021: KLAW Industries from Clarkson Univeristy
2019: Winter Innovations from the University of Tennessee
2018: Yellow Card from Auburn University