Calling all South Carolina student innovators. 📣

In honor of Global Entrepreneurship Week (which is t-minus 32 days away by the way), fifteen colleges + universities across South Carolina are partnering with the SC Department of Commerce and South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) to launch the state’s first ever student pitch competition – SC Innovates.

Global Entrepreneurship Week is a week-long event that takes place in 170 countries around the world every November with a mission to celebrate, understand, support, and connect entrepreneurs + those who champion them. The idea for this virtual competition to fuel South Carolina’s innovation economy was dreamed up by Bryan Davis of our own Furman University in partnership with Dr. Andrew Burkemper of Coker University down in Hartsville.

This inaugural competition will be open to any student enrolled in at least a one-credit course this fall at a South Carolina-based college or university. Oh, and did we mention there will be thousands of dollars in cash prizes available? (Time for those college students to start earning their keep – parents we’re looking at you. 👀)

Think of it as SC’s own Shark Tank for college students. | GIF from giphy

So here are the deets –👇

💡 Students must be enrolled in at least one credit at a South Carolina college/university during fall 2020

💡 One to three student members per team

💡 All entries must be for new, independent student ventures/ideas

💡 Register here by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 25 by creating a simple idea card

💡 Submit a 5-slide pitch deck + 90-second pitch video by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 1

Semi-finalists will be announced the week of Nov. 9 and will present at the Live Virtual Finale on Wed., Nov. 18, which is free and open to all participants and the public. You can RSVP for the finale here.

Who knows...your SC Student Innovator may end being interviewed by Guy Raz for How I Built This or presenting to Mr. Wonderful one day. Good luck to all participating students. 👏