Entrepreneurial students at Syracuse University will have the opportunity to test their pitch skills for prize money in a competition supported by the Raymond von Dran (RvD) Fund for Student Entrepreneurship at the School of Information Studies (iSchool).
Applications for the pitch competition are due on March 9, and the competition will be held in the Blackstone LaunchPad in Bird Library on March 23.
Student teams can submit an application to pitch in one of the following categories:
The prize pool of $40,000 will be spread equally across the categories. The money, $10,000 per category, will be awarded as non-dilutive seed funding. Students will not be required to give up any equity in their proposed business venture.
Details about these categories, as well as the application, are available online.
“The iSchool is thrilled to partner again this year with the Blackstone LaunchPad to offer this competition to students at Syracuse University,” says iSchool dean Liz Liddy. “The iPrize will encourage students to pitch their innovative ideas and share them with the entrepreneurial community here at Syracuse, ensuring that the legacy of former iSchool dean Ray von Dran lives on through the RvD Fund and the iPrize.”
The RvD Fund for Student Entrepreneurship is named after former dean Raymond von Dran. He served from 1995-2007, when he passed away. Von Dran was a long-time academic entrepreneur who started many innovative programs in higher education and supported student innovation and entrepreneurship. His wife, Gisela, ensured that her husband’s infectious spirit for innovation lived on through the creation of the RvD Fund after his death.
The LaunchPad has arranged two application workshops for interested students, to be held on Thursday, March 1, and Monday, March 5, at 5:15 p.m. in the Blackstone LaunchPad.
“iSchool faculty members in the information technology, design and startups program and Blackstone LaunchPad staff will be available to work with and mentor Syracuse students participating in the competition,” says Braden Croy, program manager at the Blackstone LaunchPad. “With notable Syracuse University graduates and entrepreneurs as special judges, it’s sure to be a great competition that showcases the talent and creativity coming from the our campus entrepreneurship community.”
All details about the iPrize contest is available online at the iPrize website.
Questions can be directed to Braden Croy at pbcroy@syr.edu.
About Syracuse University
Founded in 1870, Syracuse University is a private international research university dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching excellence, rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11 academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional disciplines that prepares students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main campus and extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three continents. Syracuse’s student body is among the most diverse for an institution of its kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Syracuse also has a long legacy of supporting veterans and is home to the nationally recognized Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their families.
