UT Entrepreneurship Center Hosts Venture Challenge Open to All System Students

The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business is proud to announce the spring 2026 Boyd Venture Challenge, an annual seed-funding pitch competition for student-owned businesses. For the first time in the program’s history, the competition is open to all students from the entire UT System, including all undergraduate and graduate campuses.

The spring 2026 competition will award up to $50,000 in non-dilutive startup capital. Individual grants of up to $25,000 may be awarded to help student entrepreneurs advance their businesses.

The Boyd Venture Challenge is made possible by the generosity of UT System President Randy Boyd and other ACEI donors. The competition supports legally established student-owned businesses that demonstrate market traction, such as revenue, faculty recommendations or participation in programs such as I-Corps.

Key dates for the spring 2026 competition include:

March 2 – Applications open at 8 a.m.
April 3 – Applications close at 11:59 p.m.
April 21 and April 24 – Legal entity seminars (guidance on business structure)
May 1 – Pitch day
May 7 – Awards ceremony from 6-8 p.m.

To be eligible to compete, businesses must be structured as a corporation, LLC or partnership and possess a federal tax ID. The student applicant must hold majority ownership in the company. While sole proprietorships have been considered in the past, all winners must form a legal entity, such as an LLC or S corporation, before receiving any award funds.

Applicants must submit an online application, which includes a two-page executive summary detailing the business model, market opportunity, financial projections and a specific timeline for how the grant will advance the business. After a review by a panel of judges, selected finalists will be invited to pitch their business plans in person on May 1 at the UT campus.

The Boyd Venture Challenge is organized by the ACEI. Visit the event page for eligibility requirements or to access the application, or contact the center at ACEI@utk.edu.

About the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The ACEI is the front door to entrepreneurship at UT. It connects Volunteers with the expertise, resources and collaborators at UT and across the regional ecosystem to advance ideas, tackle bold challenges and turn entrepreneurial ambition into results. At the ACEI, Volunteers are empowered to identify opportunities and take bold action to create value through new ventures.

For more information and upcoming events, visit the ACEI event page.

Author:

Allison Kelly, ACEI director of marketing, akelly9@utk.edu

Contact:

Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu

Contact

Leah McAmis

Senior Editor

lpowel20@utk.edu

Haslam College of Business - UT Entrepreneurship Center Hosts Venture Challenge Open to All System Students