The Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI) provides a number of opportunities for students interested in competitions and funding. Business competitions are a great way to validate ideas and raise seed funding for your startups. There are a number of local, regional, and national competitions that students can enter on their own. Our office will help you by getting you ready and preparing you for the entire process of competing in business plan competitions. Pre-approved competitions are faculty-led and require a pre-selection process through our office. Listed below is a comprehensive list of local, regional, and national opportunities in which students are encouraged to participate.

Need help putting a pitch together? Check out our Storytelling Workbook or visit our Center. 

Do you have a new product or business idea? Take your idea to the next level, make business connections and win cash; it just takes 90 seconds! Present your idea to a panel of West Michigan judges for a chance to win a big check. Location: Grand Rapids, MI.

Competition: Generally held the month of October. Light refreshments will be provided. If you have any questions regarding the competition, please contact us at [email protected]!

Grand Prize: $1,250

Notes: must be student led, no outside funding.

Learn more about Idea Pitch

Idea Quest offers an exciting opportunity for GVSU Lakers from ALL MAJORS to turn their ideas into real-world solutions. Whether you're studying engineering, business, healthcare, or the arts, this competition challenges you to identify problems and propose innovative answers that can make a difference. You’ll gain valuable skills that set you apart in your career, while competing, collaborating, and innovating with peers from across disciplines. Showcase your creativity and problem-solving abilities in front of faculty, mentors, and the community. Each college will award a $500 College Champion Award, and the top ideas will compete for up to $3,000 in prizes. This is your chance to solve problems, make an impact, and drive innovation at GVSU—don’t miss it!

 Location: Grand Valley State University

Competition: A year long competition where students of all discipline pitch ideas that can be used to solve real life problems. If you have any questions regarding the competition, please us at [email protected]

Grand Prize: $3,000

Notes: must be student led, no outside funding.

Learn more about 77 Idea Quest