HEARTLAND CHALLENGE STARTUP COMPETITION
The Heartland Challenge is designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital for a high-growth venture. This graduate student competition allows students to gain valuable experience and networking opportunities, while developing new ventures that may be based on their own ideas/technologies or those developed by others.
Important Dates
| December 16, 2024 | Applications open on YouNoodle |
| January 17, 2025 (11:59pm CT) | Applications due |
| February 24, 2025 | Semifinalist teams notified |
| February 28, 2025 | Deadline to submit intent to compete |
| March 24, 2025 (11:59pm CT) | Full business plan due |
| April 3-5, 2025 | Heartland Challenge Startup Competition |
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Eligibility
The competition is for student-created, managed, and owned ventures. Students must play a major role in conceiving the venture by having key management roles and owning significant equity in the venture (50 percent or more of the equity allocated to the management team and key advisers). The objective of this rule is to exclude ventures formed and managed by non-students who have token student representation to compete. Competition directors and faculty advisers are responsible for ensuring and attesting that their teams meet these requirements. The teams are also responsible for ensuring their own eligibility. Read the official competition rules and policies HERE for more information.
Team Composition
This is a competition for graduate students, however exceptional undergraduate teams will be considered. Students from any graduate program (not just MBAs) are eligible to participate, including executive and evening format programs. Non-students may be members of the venture's management team and may participate in planning the venture. However, only students may participate in the competition.
The competition is overseen by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.
If you have questions about the competition, please email Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program Manager, Maddy Stricklen, at startup@uark.edu.
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