Gabriel Gonzalez

Student Life Editor

The Warrior Startup Challenge is back. This business competition is designed to foster the entrepreneurial spirit, and there’s no better incentive than up to $10,000 in cash prizes and in-kind services to support their fresh business ventures.

Round one of the Warrior Startup Challenge is coming to a close at 11:55 p.m. on Nov. 15, 2024. This will end the first phase of the competition.  

The concept behind the Warrior Startup Challenge is simple: participants must submit a 2-minute video pitch outlining their business idea. This can be anything, but it should be realistic and it must be well realized.

The competition is open to both full-time and part-time ESU undergraduate and graduate students.

East Stroudsburg University and the Entrepreneurial Leadership Center are excited that the first round is underway. When it’s over, there are still two more rounds to go.

Individuals with unique and bright pitches from the first round will advance to the second round. Then participants will have to create and submit a comprehensive business venture profile. It’s a comprehensive document that outlines goals, strategies, and the operations of a new business venture. The deadline for round two is Feb. 28, 2025.

And in the third round, the finalists will present their business plans live before a panel of judges in a televised event in April 2025. Afterward, the panel will deliberate amongst themselves before deciding on a selection of winners.

Not only are the cash prizes large, but winning can jumpstart a winner’s business with significant support.

Even if participants aren’t selected to participate in round two, or round three or aren’t selected by the judges as a winner, it’s still a great opportunity. Participants get to receive feedback from experienced professionals along with developing their entrepreneurial skills.

Those interested in the competition can send their videos online through this link.

For more information about the competition, submission guidelines and key dates, please visit Warrior Startup Challenge.

If you have any more questions, contact Michael Moreno, manager of ESU’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Center, by email at mmoreno4@esu.edu or by phone at 570-411-7995.