Sunstone Innovation Challenge
Got an idea? Pitch it to win up to $15,000 in startup cash and free professional mentoring to build your own business.
Turn your startup concept into reality with funding and professional services.
馃弳 What鈥檚 on the Line?
The winning teams walk away with resources designed to officially launch a business:
- 馃挼 up to $15,000 in cold, hard seed funding.
- 馃捈 up to $20,000 in wrapped professional services (including expert intellectual property protection, corporate accounting setups, marketing strategies, and local coworking space access).
馃殌 For Innovators
Got a business idea or a tech concept? Check the eligibility rules, choose your track, and submit your business plan.
馃 For Mentors
Share your industry expertise. Guide our student teams through product-market fit, financial models, and pitch preparation.
馃嵖 For Attendees
Be in the room! Watch finalists pitch live to judges for cash prizes, network with investors, and support founders.
馃 For Partners
Invest in our regional economy and gain powerful brand visibility across our diverse campus and community.
The Road to the Pyramid
It all leads to the spring finals! Our top student teams will pitch their ideas live on stage to a panel of real-world business experts and investors at the iconic Pyramid. Will your team be standing on that stage?
馃挕 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The challenge is designed to help you build your business model from the ground up. Whether you are launching a mobile app, a service, or a physical product, our industry mentors will help you refine your structure before the final submission deadline.
No. Multi-campus collaborations and community partners are welcome to join your team. However, to remain eligible, your team must include at least one currently enrolled 黑料网 student who holds a minimum of a 20% equity stake in the venture.
Track One (The Launch Track) This is for teams ready to take their ideas into the real world. If your goal is to actively launch a live app, service, or physical product, this track provides up to $15,000 in startup funding to fast-track your business operations.
Track Two (The Concept Track) This is for teams focused on exploring how a business works. If you have an innovative idea or concept that you want to research, map out, and build a comprehensive plan for鈥攆ocusing entirely on the strategic planning phase rather than immediate execution鈥攖his track offers smaller cash prizes to reward your development.
To ensure sustainable growth, Track One grand prize winnings are disbursed over a multi-month horizon based on your team hitting specific operational milestones, with an initial 10% disbursed immediately upon winning. Track Two prizes are disbursed entirely upon completion of the competition.
(Note: All prize winnings are subject to standard backup tax withholding, which will be deducted directly from the total prize amount. The Institute does not cover or supplement these withheld tax amounts).
