Idea Prize
INVALUABLE INDUSTRY FEEDBACK, PITCH PRACTICE & CASH PRIZES!
Applications open January 2025! Stay tuned for more details...
The annual Idea Prize competition celebrates innovative concepts and ideas from the Simon Fraser University community, emphasizing the potential of startups and their founders, based on their vision and execution plan for developing their idea.
Competitors receive support and training through dedicated workshops, peer networking and coaching sessions from Chang Institute mentors prior to finals in March.
Idea Prize is open to ideas, concepts, and early-stage startups founded by SFU students (undergrad, grad, professional programs) as well as to staff, faculty and recent alumni (within 2 years of graduation), and co-founders.
Competitors will be judged over two rounds by panels of industry experts, on the quality of their new or existing business concept, early traction, and founder focus.
ELIGIBILITY
- Less than 1 year of operations (from date of registration / incorporation, first sale, or other significant activity like a website launch)
- Under $5,000 revenue
- Under $25,000 combined non-dilutive / dilutive investment (excluding research grants or competition prizes)
- At least 25% of intended or current ownership must be held by a member of the SFU community
- Startup may be registered or incorporated as a not-for-profit, co-op, business, or be a research, class or other team project
- All industries welcome
- Current Chang Institute incubator clients and previous Idea Prize winners are not eligible to compete
Past Idea Prize winners include: Fingerprint Technologies, One Iota Performance, Employ to Empower, GameSeta (acquired by PlayVS), Pondr, Pulse Tofu, Livshows, Labora
PRIZES
- $20,000+ of cash and in-kind prizes including:
- $8,000 for Top Idea/Category/Founder Prizes
- $2,500 for promising SFU Alumni founders
- IP Package - Canadian trademark registration & legal support (valued at $8,000)
- More to come!
Thank you to competition sponsors & partners: