Compete

Compete for funding

The New Venture Challenge

NVC offers a variety of opportunities for you to develop and share your ideas!

¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä the New Venture Challenge (NVC)

Ranked 15th among U.S. collegiate entrepreneurship competitions and a signature program of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, NVC is the heart of ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder's entrepreneurship engine. During this multi-round, multi-event entrepreneurial competition, teams can win a share of $325,000 and pitch to a live audience at the Boulder Theater.

Who can participate?

Everyone at ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder is invited to participate; students, faculty, and staff. NVC participants can earn a microcredential while gaining experience in creating a startup venture.

How Does it Work?

Participants can compete in one of two NVC categories:

  • Deep Tech Category – NVC and Venture Partners at ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder host this category for ventures based on scientific or technological innovations developed using fundamental scientific disciplines.
  • Open Category – For ventures not meeting the Deep Tech criteria.
âš ÌýRegistration for the 2025 New Venture Challenge is closed.ÌýPlan to join us for the NVC Finals at the Boulder Theater on Wednesday, April 23!

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Join a venture or find partners

Are you interested in joining a venture that is competing or looking for partners to join your competing venture?Ìý

Learn more about how to build your team.

Build Your TeamÌý

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Additional NVC Competitions

Women Founders Competition

NVC and the Deming Center for EntrepreneurshipÌýpartner to host this additional competition for ventures founded by women.

âš ÌýRegistration for the 2025 competition closes on March 9.

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âš ÌýThe 2025 Women Founders Competition Finals are on March 20!

Social Impact NVC

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative hosts this offshoot of NVC, where teams can win up to $5,000. First and second place teams have automatic acceptance into the July Sea Change Accelerator Cohort.

âš ÌýRegistration for SINVC 2025 has closed. The winners will be announced on April 7!

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High School NVC

The winning team performing in the 2024 High School New Venture Challenge

The High School New Venture Challenge (HSNVC)—powered by FirstBank is an exciting spin-off of ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder’s nationally recognized New Venture Challenge, designed specifically for Colorado high school students in support of entrepreneurial learning. HSNVC is a great opportunity to network, learn and support statewide student teams as they compete for more than $25,000 in scholarship funding to apply towards future tuition at ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä!

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Additional Opportunities

In addition to our ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder competitions, you might be interested in the following external opportunities: