USF Business Plan Competition

Overview

USF Business Plan Championship

Ignite Your Entrepreneurial Spirit!

Join us for the USF Business Plan Championship, where innovation meets opportunity. This is more than just a competition—it’s your launchpad to success.

Through this event, you’ll not only refine your business ideas but also gain the tools and insights to develop a comprehensive business plan—a critical roadmap for launching and scaling your business. With the guidance of seasoned entrepreneurs, you’ll learn how to identify market opportunities, craft a winning strategy, and position your idea for success.

Whether you’re in the early stages of development or ready to take your business to new heights, this competition provides the mentorship, feedback, and connections you need to bring your vision to life. By participating, you’re not just competing for prizes—you’re investing in the skills and knowledge that will empower you to make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality.

Are you ready to turn your vision into action? The USF Business Plan Championship is your chance to innovate, collaborate, and build the future of your business.

Why participate

• Learn from the Best: Work side-by-side with seasoned, successful entrepreneurs who will mentor and guide you throughout the event.
• Real-World Experience: Dive into hands-on workshops and collaborative sessions to refine your business strategy.
• Network for Success: Build connections with industry leaders, investors, and like-minded peers.

Event highlights

• Workshops & Mentorship: Collaborate with top entrepreneurs to develop and enhance your business plan.
• Pitch Presentations: Present your findings and ideas to a panel of judges for feedback and recognition.
• Incredible Prizes:

• • Cash rewards to fuel your entrepreneurial journey.
  • An exclusive breakfast or lunch with one of our distinguished entrepreneurs—a priceless opportunity to gain insights and inspiration.

who can participate

This event is open to all USF students with a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. Whether you're just starting or refining an idea, this championship is the perfect platform to showcase your potential.

event details

📅 Date: March 28th, 2025
📍 Location: USF Sarasota Campus
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

How to Participate

• Sign Up: Click the link below to register and secure your spot.
• Bring Your A-Game: Come prepared to innovate, collaborate, and pitch!

Register Now!

If you have any questions, please email Frank Nunez at fnunez2@usf.edu

All students must submit their business plans by March 3rd, 2025. 

Resources: 

• The Eleven Slides You'll Need To Have In Your Pitch Deck.
• How To Write A Business Plan Step By Step. 
• How To Effectively Pitch A Business Idea. 
• Sample Pitch Presentation. 

2023 Hamner Winners

• 1st Place: Nathaniel Willis: Righteous Hemp
• 2nd Place: Cedar Molano: RX Mind
• 3rd Place: Julia Fusia: Glow Guard

2019 PARTICIPANTS

• Dream Scape- Taylor Morris, Xilong Jing, Biwei Jin, Brad Williams
• DS Academy- Alysson Silveira, Julian Heredia
• The Space- Julia Wingle, Robert Dennard III
• Touriffic- Robert Huggett, Qilin Li, Jesualdo Perez, Javier Ramirez
• No Flood Florida- Ahmed Hamed, Taylor Lankford, Chris Needham
• Vortex- Sonya Khan,Allison Timo, Thornthun Noppakaorattanamanee, Chang Yang
• EdukMais- Eduardo Mourra, Luiza Marques

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNING TEAM: 

ABOUT THE usf business plan competition

• Each year 5-10 USF students teams  will be invited to pitch their innovations 
• The pitch competition offers a unique opportunity to showcase ones business plan and present a 10 minute pitch before a panel of professionals (PowerPoint presentations might be used as visual aid). 
• Awards will be provided to the winner of the competition

OUR GOALS

• To inspire USF students to start new businesses
• To teach valuable business skills
• To promote entrepreneurship across Florida
• To help students achieve success in the classroom and after they graduate

For more information, please contact entrepreneurship@usf.edu.