Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge
The Michigan Collegiate Startup Challenge (MCSC) is a student business model competition open to all college students in the state of Michigan.
The competition focuses on the development of entrepreneurial skills and capacity and creating cross collaboration among collegiate students in Michigan.
The goal of MCSC is to foster entrepreneurship and encourage students to commercialize their ideas and provide them a forum in which they can develop skills in developing entrepreneurial ventures and pitching their ideas.
Location: Grand Valley State University, Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health (102-104)
333 Michigan St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
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Important Dates |
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Partnering Universities Confirm Participation |
November 24, 2025 |
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Team Entry Form Deadline |
January 20, 2026 |
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Semifinalist Teams Announced |
February 5, 2026 |
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Final Pitch and Showcase* |
Friday, February 27, 2026 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
Round 1: Executive Summary
The challenge kicks off with an executive summary and an online video submission.
The executive summaries will be reviewed and scored by external judges who will select the top 10 teams to compete in the final, as well as the top teams for the Business Model Showcase round!
Round 2: Elevator Pitch Challenge
One to two teams from each participating university will be guaranteed a spot in this round. Teams selected into the Business Model Showcase competition will be able to highlight their products and services through an online session.
This round will be held virtually, the same day as the final competition round. Participants in this round will not move to the final round of this competition (Grand Startup Challenge). Winners from this round will be announced at the end of the program, during the award ceremony.
Round 3: Grand Startup Challenge
The final round of the competition is a face-off between the top 10 teams who excelled in Round 1 (The Executive Summary Submission). This round is not university-specific, which means the teams in this round can comprise students from different/multiple universities.
This will be a half-day program that culminates in an award ceremony that acknowledges all the teams and recognizes the winners. A 5-minute PowerPoint presentation must be made. For additional assistance with creating your pitch, please contact the entrepreneurship department at your school for mentorship.
This year, we’re inviting all colleges & universities, private and public, within the state of Michigan to participate in the 2026 MCSC.
We’re asking that all participating colleges and universities contribute $500 - $1,000 to this year’s competition.
For participating colleges and universities contributing $500
Colleges and universities will guarantee at least one (1) team to compete and showcase their student's business ideas in a tradeshow format in the Elevator Pitch Challenge & Showcase on February 27, 2026, along with the nomination of one (1) judge to be selected for this year's panel of judges.
In addition, all participating colleges and universities will have their school’s name and logo included on all marketing materials, website communications, and they will be acknowledged during the event.
Competitors selected for the Grand Startup Challenge will be chosen primarily on the basis of rank and scoring from this year's selected panel of judges during the Elevator Pitch Challenge & Showcase.
For participating colleges and universities contributing $1,000
Colleges and universities will guarantee at least two (2) teams to compete and showcase their student's business ideas in a tradeshow format in the Elevator Pitch Challenge & Showcase on February 27, 2026, along with the nomination of two (2) judges to be selected for this year's panel of judges.
In addition, all participating colleges and universities will have their school’s name and logo included on all marketing materials, website communications, and they will be acknowledged during the event.
Competitors selected for the Grand Startup Challenge will be chosen primarily based on rank and scoring from this year's selected panel of judges during the Elevator Pitch Challenge & Showcase.
No, please create your pitch around the following criteria:
- Is the market size, value prop., competitive situation, financial and feasibility realistic?
- Compelling story? Strong Team? Delivery professional? Visuals engaging?
- What is the product and why is it distinctive?
- Assumptions realistic? How will you make money?
- What are the next milestones? Likely to execute?
Finalists do not need to submit their pitch deck in advance. During the competition, make sure you have your slides in a format that can be easily shared via Zoom.
We encourage no video or audio on the slides, as it can cause technical complications at the event. If you decide to include video or audio, and there are errors during your presentation, you are taking that risk on your own.
You only have 5 minutes to pitch, so we recommend about 10 max.
You can apply by visiting this link: https://platform.younoodle.com/competition/michigan_collegiate_startup_challenge_mcsc