Competition Structure
Location (Both Days):
Discovery Building
330 N Orchard Street, Madison, WI 53715
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Day 1 – April 16
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Pitches run from 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
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You will receive a SignupGenius to select your pitch slot
Pitch Format:
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Total time: 10 minutes (hard stop)
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Recommended: 7 min pitch + 3 min Q&A
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No live demos allowed
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You may include images or pre-recorded videos in your presentation
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Poster Session (12:00 – 1:00 PM):
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Open to the public
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Think of this as a chance to showcase your product more interactively
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Teams who opt in via the deliverables form will be assigned a table
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Live demos ARE allowed here
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Judges will walk around during this time
Results:
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Finalist decisions will be sent by 10:00 PM
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Selected teams will receive a follow-up + SignupGenius for Day 2 slots
Day 2 – April 17
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Top 16 teams from Day 1 will advance
Format Changes (Important):
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Pitches start at 8:20 AM
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Pitch: 10 minutes (hard stop)
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Followed by: 10 minutes of Q&A
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Live demos ARE allowed as part of your pitch
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All final pitches will be open to the public and take place on the main stage (anyone can be in the audience)
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Pitches conclude at 4:00 PM sharp
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Followed by:
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Networking + Awards Ceremony (4:00 – 6:00 PM)
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We would highly recommend at least one person from your team
being present for the networking and awards. Failure to have a team member
present will result in forfeiting your award (i.e., if your team wins but no one is there, the award will not be given).
Prizes
​All teams from Day 1 are eligible for a $2,500 prize
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Additional prizes will be distributed among finalists
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Full breakdown will be made public one week before the competition
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What Judges Are Looking For
Here are some of the key things judges will be looking for:
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Team – Why you? What gives you an edge to build this?
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Market – Real problem, real demand, meaningful size
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Traction as a business – Users, revenue, pilots, validation
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Overall growth potential – Can this actually scale into something big?
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Note: This is a pitch competition, but pitching well alone won’t carry you. Judges care about whether you’re building something real.
Optional (Highly Recommended) Session
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We’re hosting a Business 101 session with Michael Best:
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Date: March 26
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Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
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Location: 1403 University Ave
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This will cover incorporation, legal structures, and different pathways for building your startup. Strongly recommend attending.
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RSVP here: https://luma.com/v9zt4u7f