GVSU IDEA PITCH COMPETITION

Hosted by the Colleigate Entrepreneurs’ Club

The Basics: 

Do you have a new product or business idea? Want to win some cash? Business student or not, this is the event for you! The GVSU Idea Pitch Competition provides you with 90 seconds to present your idea to a panel of West Michigan judges for a chance to win a really big check. Take your idea to the next level, make business connections, and win cash; it just takes 90 seconds! No props, no powerpoints, just ideas. Are you ready to compete?

When & Where:  50 Front Ave. SW GRand Rapids, MI

The event will be held on Monday, October 16th at 5:00pm. Idea Pitch will be held IN PERSON this year in the SCB Forum A. If you have any questions regarding the competition, please email us at gvsuceoclub@gmail.com!

Registration & Eligibility:  

Registration is free to GVSU undergraduate and graduate students of all majors. Before registering, be sure to check out the Rules & Eligibility page. The deadline to register is October 13th by 11:59PM. Simply submit the form below!

Wait... What Exactly is an Idea Pitch? 

An “Idea Pitch” or “Elevator Pitch” is a frequently used term which can be interpreted as “tell me about your idea in the time it takes to ride up an elevator,” i.e. 90 seconds. Presenting yourself effectively is an essential tool in the world of business, and a well-planned idea pitch can open doors in your future. Want some tips on the art of pitching? Check out our Pitching Basics page! There will also be multiple opportunities to practice your presentation. If you are interested in individual support, email the GVSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at cei@gvsu.edu to schedule an appointment.

Prizes:

  • 1st Place - $1,250

  • 2nd Place - $750

  • 3rd Place - $500

  • 4th Place - Audience Favorite Pitch

Past Winners: 

2023 IPC Winners

  1. Ravi Patel, Cosmic Motors

  2. Musa Dove, Digital Trades Club

  3. Chris Villaire, Villaire Financials

  4. Collin Blundell, Scooter Safety

  5. Andrew Phillips, Mirror Max

2022 IPC Winners

  1. Bennett, Great Lakes Axe Company

  2. Chris Villaire, Villaire Financials

  3. Gillian Venditelli, Grand and Wells Events

  4. Zoey Rouvales, Surge Fitness Center

2021 IPC Winners

  1. Chad Howell, Forever Great

  2. Jowei Yek, Sudoku

  3. Adam Prielipp, The Basket Getter

  4. Mya McHallam, Golf Ball Chip

2019 IPC Winners

  1. Matt Read, North Peak

  2. James Matecki, One Cloth

  3. Reuel Richardson, Tie-back

2018 IPC Winners

  1. Bremer Produce

  2. Disney Immersive Language

  3. Ignite Lights

2017 IPC Winners

  1. Chase Hawkins, The Deployment

  2. Dane Egner, UMoto

  3. Jenna Grannan, Project 360

2016 IPC Winners

  1. Tom Peurach, Tiny Homes Community

  2. Brittany Taylor, Pressure Ulcer Prevention

  3. Aaron Schaafsma, 934 Bagworks

2015 IPC Winners

       1.  Jordan Vanderham, Orindi Ventures

       2. Melanie Koops, Werth Walker Storage

       3. Elyse Wild, Your Story 

2014 IPC Winners

  1. Maggie McGee, Happy Camper Lip Balm

  2. Megan Lasley, the Ugly Food Truck

  3. Tony Beranek, NinjaHelp

2013 IPC Winners

  1. Jake Dykstra & Matt Freundl, Welder Shield

  2. Justin Herd, the Bowl with Holes

  3. Autumn Modena & Jenna Petersen, RefuTea

2012 IPC Winners

  1. Jason Sissing, Pop-Top

  2. Jacob Hall, Capable Solutions

  3. Tran Pham, Cultural Program

2011 IPC Winners

  1. Miles Smith, Break Away Coupling

  2. Sam Rasmussen, Designer Vents

2010 IPC Winners

  1. Frank Leonard, Keg Regulator

2009 IPC Winners

  1. Michael Henke & Michael McCarthy,
    Showerhead LED

  2. Ashley Van Roekel, Community Biking System

  3. Molly Gagnon, Spider Fighter

2008 IPC Winners

  1. Katie Racey, Formal Freedom, LLC

  2. Ben Demuro, The Tall Bike

  3. Chris Young & John Levandowski,
    At Your Service Valet

2007 IPC Winners

  1. Joel Soelberg, Clean Scrapper

  2. Matt Senko, Tattoo Software

  3. Joe Pohlen, DormTshirts.com

2006 IPC Winners

  1. Allison Morrow

  2. Geoff Patterson

  3. Thomas Sanders, Jr.

2005 IPC Winners

  1. Joe Pohlen

  2. Erik Winquist

Interested in participating in a similar event? Click here to check out our list of other competitions! Want to improve your pitching skills? Check out our Pitching Basics page!