The Paul and Tom Kinnear New Venture Competition
In 2008, the Paul and Tom Kinnear New Venture Competition was established at Smith School of Business to support entrepreneurship among Commerce students. The Kinnear New Venture Competition is open to all Smith undergraduate students who either have an ongoing company or are in the process of establishing a venture. The top team will be awarded $10k that can be used towards creating or ongoing operations of the business.
Looking to compete?
To enter, at least one of the team members must be the founder/co-founder and enrolled in the Smith Commerce program. No exceptions. Entrepreneurs will have six minutes to pitch to a panel of expert judges on why they deserve $10K in funding. Your business should be well beyond the ideation phase, approaching or beyond the MVP stage and gaining market traction (customers/revenue).
Key dates & deadlines
| Task | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | Mon, Sept 30 |
| Applications Close | Fri, Oct 25 @ Noon (ET) |
| Pre-Screening Judges Deliberations | Fri, Oct 25 - Mon, Oct 28 |
| Finalists Announced | Tue, Oct 29 |
| Finals Event* | Sat, Nov 2, 9-11:30 am (ET) |
*Due to the number of entries, only the finalists will be informed they are moving forward
Criteria to submit
- Can articulate the vision of the business clearly and concisely
- Proven research and market validation, including a strong understanding of the total addressable /service available/serviceable obtainable market
- The company must have a prototype or Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and has market traction through demonstrated validation (financial or non-financial)
- A strong team with proven core competencies – advisor team, is an asset
- Critical - can clearly illustrate the revenue model and profitability (economics of the business)
- Why do you need the cash? You can identify the key areas where the money will be used and show any additional capital raised to date
Guidelines and templates
Please read through the guidelines carefully
Watch the action live!
Register to watch the action live on zoom. There is no cost to attend.
- Saturday, November 2, 2024
- 9-11:30 am (ET)
Register to Watch
2022 Results
Winner
EcoPod
Nikola Cugalj (BCom‘22)
EcoPod designs and builds four-season backyard studios that can be used as home offices, workout spaces, and music studios. The Ottawa-based company currently offers three customizable models, and another two are coming soon.
Finalists
- Chaordinem Consulting
Calin Ranger (BCom’22), Kitchener Pickford, Johan - Sew Brew
Abby Brewer (BCom’24) - Pally
Jay Lee (BCom’22)