Compete
The New Venture Challenge (NVC)—a signature program of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative—is CU Boulder’s “flight simulator” for students and employees driven to create real-world impact through new startups, organizations and endeavors.
NVC gives aspiring problem-solvers and creatives a chance to build up these impactful ventures through entrepreneurial events and programming, community support, mentorship and—ultimately—the opportunity to compete for funding. Everyone is invited to compete, from majors and departments across the university, undergraduates to graduates, PhD candidates to postdocs, faculty to staff, and even high school students.
General Competition
The general competition of the New Venture Challenge (NVC) is a multi-round, multi-event entrepreneurial competition and signature program of CU Boulder's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, where teams can win up to $50,000 and pitch to a live audience at the Boulder Theater.
⚠ Registration for the 2025 competition will open on November 1.
Additional Competitions
NVC and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship host this additional competition for ventures founded by women, where teams can win up to $5,000.
⚠ Registration is closed for the 2024 competition.
NVC and Venture Partners at CU Boulder host this additional competition for ventures built around a scientific or technological innovation that has been developed using fundamental scientific disciplines, where teams can win up to $50,000.
⚠ Registration is closed for the 2024 competition.