Q: I am very interested in the Duke Start-Up Challenge, but do not want to join a team this year. What other opportunities are available?

A: We are constantly seeking entrepreneurial students from all disciplines to join the organizing committee and assist with numerous aspects of the competition. Your involvement will prove valuable and you will learn much about the entrepreneurial process that will help you in future business pursuits or in entering the challenge in future years. If you would like to join the committee, please visit the Organizers section of this website for more information about the various committees and send an email to Shalav Gupta.

Q: Who can enter the Duke Start-Up Challenge?

A: Anyone who is part of a team with one current Duke University student. The student can be enrolled in any school within Duke, but must be enrolled as a student at the time of the submission deadline for the particular subcompetition they are entering.

Q: If I am not a member of the Duke community, how can I join a team ?

A: If you have an idea, want to enter the competition and are not a member of the Duke community, we encourage you to find a Duke University student to partner with. We host mixers before each of the Duke Entrepreneurship Education Series events to help match up individuals and complete teams.  www.dukedees.com

Q: How do I find other students to help work on my business idea? Or, if I don’t have an idea, how do I find a team with an idea to join?

A: The best way to meet potential team members is to speed network or pitch your idea at the Duke Entrepreneurship Education Series.  www.dukedees.com

Q: Who owns my idea if I enter or win?

A: YOU DO! Duke University is supporting this competition to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship on campus, not to generate direct financial returns on student’s business ideas. However, the university my have claims on certain intellectual property developed by faculty and others using University resources. If you have any questions about your obligations to the University because of your research program, you should contact the Office of Licensing and Ventures. However, the competition will not take any ownership stake in your company. Please visit the Equity sub-section under Rules for further details.

Q: Can I enter the same idea that I have submitted in the past?

A: You may resubmit your plan if you feel you have made substantial progress on the development of the idea that was previously submitted. We cannot guarantee that you will have different judges from those that had evaluated your plan in the past and to the judges this may reflect poorly on your entry. However, if you were a Finalist in any previous year you are not eligible to submit the same business concept from that year, but are encouraged to enter a new idea.

Q: Do I have to participate in Elevator Pitch Competition in order to participate in the Executive Summary Competition?

A: NO. You can participate either one regardless of whether you participated in the other.

Q: Can I get academic credit for working on my idea?

A: Academic credit is not a part of the competition itself, but you may pursue credit through any of several entrepreneurship and plan-writting classes offered through various schools at Duke, including Fuqua School of Business and Pratt Engineering. If you do so, we strongly advise you to provide any sponsoring faculty with complete details on the competition and your entry so that no Honor Code issues emerge.

Q: Should I enter my plan in the Social Enterprise Track or one of the For-Profit Tracks?

A: A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes and addresses a social problem by using entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture that will evoke change. If the goal of your business is to generate returns on your investment, you should probably enter one of the for-profit tracks. The Social Enterprise Track is for ideas with an explicitly social mission and these are often pursued through non-profit ventures.

Q: Can I work by myself?

A: Part of a good business is the people that are involved with the idea. Although there is no rule dictating the number of people on a team, it is strongly encouraged that you work as a member of a team. We feel that your experience will be fuller, your ideas better, and your chance of winning greater. In the past, teams integrating students from multiple schools across campus have enjoyed the greatest success.

Q: Can I be on more than one team?

A: You can be a member of as many teams as you would like, but it may be seen by the judges as a lack of commitment to making any one of the businesses a success. Most often your efforts are best spent making one entry as strong as possible. Although you may try entering several ideas in Elevator Pitch Competition to see which one gains the most traction with the judges and other potential team members.

Q: Can I raise funding from other sources during the competition?

A: YES. You are free to seek investment from other sources, but you must abide by the competition Eligibility requirements as long as you are participating in the Duke Start-Up Challenge. If you raise funds beyond the allowable level at any point in the competition, you will be required to withdraw. Also make sure that you promptly notify the co-chairs of any investments you receive.

Q: How will my business plan be kept confidential?

A: As with most institutions and investors, we do not sign non-disclosure agreemtns and we do not guarantee confidentiality.  Please do not include confidential material in your materials.

Q: What are the prizes?

A: See this page

Q: Who donated the funds for this year’s competition?

A: Each year is a different set of sponsors and supporters including firms in the entrepreneurial community (including legal firms, accounting firms, banks, and venture capital firms) and the various schools at Duke University.

Q: How can I sponsor the competition?

A: Please contact Howie Rhee at hwr2@duke.edu, Advisor to the Duke Start-Up Challenge.

Q: I would like to serve as a mentor to one or more teams of students. Are there opportunities to do this?

A: YES. We are eagerly seeking mentors to provide advice and coaching to teams in all parts of the competition. Please contact the Team Development Coordinator, Shalav Gupta to express your interest in mentoring this year or in the future.

Q: I am interested in serving as a judge for this year or future competitions, whom should I contact?

A: Please contact our Judging Committee Chair, Vignesh Loganthan, to discuss your interest.