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The Best 20 Business Plan Competitions to Get Funding in (2024)

Free Business Plan Template

Radhika Agarwal

• October 18, 2023

11 Min Read

Brilliant business ideas deserve 2 things for sure – Feedback and Funding.

And if you think you have a good business idea and have some bit of groundwork figured out, you may want to look into business plan competitions.

Now, what is a business plan competition? Why should you participate in one? How to find one that’s just right for your business?

We’ll discuss all of the above and more through this article.

What is a Business Plan Competition?

A business plan competition is an event that allows small businesses and startups to compete with each other, get feedback and advice on their business, and also can help you get your business funded.

Businesses are judged on several factors including execution, feasibility, innovation, etc.

How to Find a Business Plan Competition?

There are several business plan competitions listed on Google that you can look through. Different competitions have different eligibility criteria and guidelines. Go through all of that to know if it fits your business or not.

At the same time, it is important to check the credibility and check for any scams or illegitimate sites.

To make finding business plan competitions a little easier we have compiled a list of 20 popular and credible competitions that you can apply for.

Business Plan Competitions

• Global Student Entrepreneur Awards
• tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition
• HATCH Pitch
• Rice Business Plan Competition
• New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition
• MIT 100k Business Plan and Expo
• FAU Business Plan Competition
• NIBS Business Plan Competition
• Pistoia Alliance President’s Startup Challenge
• College of New Jersey’s Mayo Business Plan Competition
• Next Founders Business Plan Competition
• TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield
• New Venture Challenge
• New Venture Championship
• Climatech & Energy Prize @MIT
• Baylor Business New Venture Competition
• 13th IOT/WT World Cup

1. Global Student Entrepreneur Awards

To encourage students across the globe to become entrepreneurs GSEA organizes this competition for students from all disciplines and countries. The main aim of the awards is to draw people towards entrepreneurship, shape their ideas, and become a catalyst for their business’s growth.

Eligibility

The student must enroll in a part-time or full-time undergraduate or graduate course.

The student should own or work as a founder or co-founder of the startup.

Only one person from the startup can represent it.

The person should either be 30 or under 30 years of age.

The startup should be running for at least 6 months from the date of application.

The startup should either generate $500 or get $1000 as investments at the time of application.

The startup shouldn’t have reached the final round of the competition in previous years.

For more details check out their website.

The competition is held at several locations across the world over months during a school year. The finals among the Top 4 teams are held at Goldman Sachs New York.

• First Prize: $25,000
• Second Prize: $10,000
• Third Prize: $5,000

Lodging and travel expenses are covered and additional prizes are handed out at the event.

2. tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition

The tecBRIDGE competition is divided into two parts, with one for college students across 14 colleges and universities and a non-collegiate one for early-stage entrepreneurs.

( For Collegiate )

At least one member as a college student

The product must identify commercial solutions through technical processes.

( For Non-Collegiate )

The startup must gross less than $250k in revenue from its start date up to the last tax filing date.

It is held in Northeastern Pennsylvania every year. The businesses that win have to establish their headquarters there as well.

Prizes worth $100,000 are shared amongst the winning teams.

3. HATCH Pitch

Through the Hatch Pitch program, you get access to mentorship courses, discounted spaces, funds, education programs, financial consulting, and so on.

The product/ Service was launched within 2 years.

Founders should retain some part of the ownership.

Must actively participate actively in Hatch Pitch coaching.

Must receive less than $5 million in funds from third-party investors.

The competition is held at Entrepreneur space in Dallas.

Access to high-level incubators and mentorship.

4. Rice Business Plan Competition

The Rice University business plan competition is specially designed for college students to present their ideas to investors , get mentorship and help shape their ideas and business journey better.

Students managed or created businesses.

Consists of at least 2 college students, and one student pursuing a graduate degree.

Have raised less than $250k in equity capital.

Have generated less than $100k in any 12-month period.

Houston at Rice University, graduate school of business, hosts this event.

In 2021, the winners were awarded investments worth $1.6 Million , cash prizes, etc.

5. New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition

New York Public library sponsors this competition to help entrepreneurs from around the world. They give wings to their ideas.

Must live in Manhattan, Staten Island, or The Bronx.

Your business should be in any of the above places as well.

The idea or business model is in the startup phase and shouldn’t have earned more than $10,000.

The competition is held in New York.

A grand prize worth $15000 and a Runner Up prize worth $7500 .

6. MIT 100k Business Plan and Expo

MIT organizes this competition to promote innovation in the university as well as the world. It consists of 3 competitions throughout the year namely Pitch, Accelerate, and Launch.

Each team should enter one idea.

Participants must have original work ideas

Should disclose the received funding.

Hosted in Cambridge MA MIT campus from October to May through the academic year.

• Pitch: $5000 jury award and $2000 audience choice award.
• Accelerate: 20 finalists get industry-specific mentorship programs with a budget of $1000 each. The top 10 finalists compete for the Audience Choice award worth $10,000. The top 3 finalists immediately get into the finals of the launch.
• Launch: The winner gets a whopping amount of $100,000 while the runner gets $25000 .

Official Website MIT 100k

7. FAU Business Plan Competition

The Florida Atlantic University Business Plan Competition is for graduate and undergraduate students spanning all continents.

Undergraduate or graduate participants.

The competition is held at Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, Florida.

First Prize: $5000 and Second Prize: $500

8. NIBS Business Plan Competition

The NIBS competition helps you discuss and give a boost to your ideas. It also helps you get industry experts guidance.

Entrants of legal age to have contracts as per the rules of their country of residence.

Should not hold any employment apart from their own company.

The plan must stand for a startup business and not an acquisition.

It is held in the USA.

There’s a cash prize for the first three places as well as an opportunity to get an incubator program for the winners.

9. Get Seeded

Get Seed is a two-part funding program for students in launching their businesses.

At least one student from a higher education institution in Utah is a must.

Should be enrolled for nine credit hours during that semester.

Utilization of funds to take the idea further.

Salt Lake City in Utah hosts the business plan competition.

A micro-grant worth $500 and a seeded grant from $501 to $1500

10. Pistoia Alliance President’s Startup Challenge

This competition was designed for startups focusing on digital and health technology.

Legally formed entities

The company must have less than 50 people.

Annual sales under $5 million.

The product should have been launched within 3 years.

Your country should not have USA’s trade restrictions imposed.

You can submit your ideas from anywhere.

Five finalists win $5000 and 2 winners receive $20,000 .

Official Website

11. College of New Jersey’s Mayo Business Plan Competition

This competition is held for students to appreciate new challenges.

The teams must consist of two and bot more than four students from the College of New Jersey.

The College of New Jersey hosts this event.

The winners get mentorship and guidance programs.

Check Official Website

12. Next Founders Business Plan Competition

This competition focuses on startups with an innovative approach to solving social problems and global needs.

It is for Canadian entrepreneurs with scalable, high-potential ventures.

The University of Toronto.

Up to 25,000 CAD$ in cash for funding your startup.

13. TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield

TechCrunch sponsors this competition which comprises two levels.

The companies must have a functional prototype of their product or service to present to the committee.

Different locations.

The winner gets $50,000 and two runner-ups get $5000 each.

Check Competition Website

14. New Venture Challenge

This competition is held at the University of Chicago. Three evaluation points for participants are – Innovation, Product Market Fit , and presentation.

The eligibility information is available on their website.

Chicago, IL.

1st Place: $50,000 ; 2nd Place: $25,000 ; 3rd Place: $15,000 . In addition to that, the winners get access to mentorship and resources.

15. New Venture Championship

This competition is for those with a good business idea. Even if you don’t have a business plan, you can participate as the competition provides optional plan writing services.

The team should have 2-5 members.

Should have at least one graduate student.

The students should be pursuing their undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Eugene, Oregon.

Teams have a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $3000 to $25,000 with additional benefits like mentorship and rented office spaces.

16. Climatech & Energy Prize @MIT

This competition is ideal for companies with a core focus on energy, climate change, and the environment.

The team must have more than 2 members.

At least 50% of part-time or full-time university students.

Cambridge, MA hosts this competition

The winner gets a sizable sum of $1,00,000 .

17. U.Pitch

This competition gives entrants a chance to present their ideas to people from different levels and spectrums in the business space and get an opportunity for investments and mentorship programs.

Undergraduate or graduate program students.

Functioning Business

Age up to or below 30

San Francisco, California hosts this competition.

Prizes worth $10,000 are given.

18. CodeLaunch

It is a seed accelerator competition for entrepreneurs who have technology startups.

The detailed eligibility criteria can be found on their website.

St. Louis, Missouri hosts these competitions, usually.

The winner gets seed fund capital and access to other additional resources.

19. Baylor Business New Venture Competition

Baylor launched this competition to help entrepreneurs discuss their ideas and get advice from judges.

An undergraduate student at Baylor University and McLennan Community College.

Baylor University, Waco, Texas hosts this competition.

The first prize winner receives $6000 . The other finalists win prizes ranging from $1500-$2000 .

20. 13th IOT/WT World Cup

The innovation world cup was started to give startups a chance to display their ideas and business. The competition aims to attract venture capitalists, investors, and potential business partners .

The startup should have a concept of innovative technologies.

You should have a functional prototype of the product.

Cleveland, Ohio hosts this event.

You get a chance at winning prizes worth $500,000 and connect with leading tech companies in your field.

Even if you don’t receive funds, there’s a lot of chance to network, get exposure, and get your ideas validated. Especially, if you are someone who’s new in the business space business plan competitions are a great way to learn the ropes of the trade.

So, go ahead, write your business plan , look up the details, and register for a competition that fits your business the best!

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About the Author

Radhika is an economics graduate and likes to read about every subject and idea she comes across. Apart from that she can discuss her favorite books to lengths( to the point you\'ll start feeling a little annoyed) and spends most of her free time on Google word coach.

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A Business Plan Competition Exclusively for Indian Cultural Enterprises.

For cultural entrepreneurs looking to build successful enterprises. Attend workshops and discussions by subject experts, entrepreneurs and practitioners.

Win cash prizes

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Gain access to investors

Gain access to mentors

Gain Publicity

NICE Aarohana Business Plan Competition is open to NICE Entrepreneurs in five NICE Sectors.

Health, Beauty and Wellness

Food and Beverages

Fashion and Accessories

Home Decor and Furnishings

Experimental Tourism

Who can apply.

Enterprises belonging to two stages can participate

Idea stage ventures with no revenue

Enterprises with up to Rs 50 lakh revenue/annum

Companies with greater than Rs 50 lakh revenue/annum

If you have a great business idea in any of the 5 focus categories, and you seek help in growing it further, do write to us at [email protected].

Read about NICE Code of Conduct.

About NICE Aaorhana Business Plan Competition 2021 

From more than 100 applications received, 20 finalists – 10 for the Early Stage and 10 for the Growth Stage categories – were shortlisted by the Selection Committee. These 20 finalists received 2 rounds of coaching for their final pitches.

Know more about the finalists!  

On the final pitch day, the finalists pitched their business ideas live to the Final Jury. The winners were selected on parameters that included Founder Profile & Involvement, Customer & Market understanding, Business Model uniqueness and Competitive differentiation, Financials & Traction till date.

Know more about the winners!

Faculty co-chair, creative and cultural businesses programme, iim ahmedabad.

Chintan Bakshi

Founder & Investor

Fireside ventures, changemaker & social entrepreneur, 1bridge and g.a.m.e, lead investor, indian angel network & partner- acumen fund, co-founder & managing partner, ankur capital, tech entrepreneur & founder, ceo, impact & social sector investor, unitus ventures.

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Top Business plan competitions in India to participate for Start-ups

Start-ups are the backbone of today’s culture of innovations and technology not only in the field of technology these have massive effects on the economy of a nation. We have seen again and again that brilliant ideas change the landscape of our lives, they practically change everything, from Jeff Bezos’s groundbreaking delivery service amazon which reimagined the way we shop to Steve Jobs’s famous introduction of apple’s iPhone which kickstarted an era of smartphones.

These are now multibillion-dollar companies that were one day just meager start-ups with only their ideas accompanying and supporting them. Truly fascinating to hear, that today upcoming entrepreneurs need a stage where they can get the platform to be the next big thing in today’s market, to build the next Apple or amazon the ones which India’s economy truly needs like the ones shown right here:

Top Business plan competitions in India:

Indiatech hk:.

This is a groundbreaking initiative by a community of people whose primary target is to provide the bedrock on which the ideas of the start-ups reach the next level. They primarily engage investors for the brilliant ideas of entrepreneurs which provide the perfect platform for them to showcase their ideas to potential suitors.

Aims of this community:

• Engage the community about the budding Indian start-up culture
• Enabling investors for different sectors
• Provide support for Indian start-up entrepreneurs.

They are presenting the opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative tech ideas to a panel of investors and the winner would get the opportunity to build his dream company. There would be cash prizes and other gift packs for all the brilliant entrepreneurs present. So this one is a must one to register and attend.

Investment partners for this competition include prestigious brands like:

• Indian Angel Network
• Venture Catalysts

Community partners include –

• INDIAGOESGLOBAL

Climate Launchpad :

This one is a bit different and the one to watch and truly innovating one, this is actually a green initiative, if any of the entrepreneurs have a green business idea this is the one to enroll for.

Agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, you name it clean air they will provide you with the funds for your idea if it’s innovative and ground-breaking enough. This competition will initiate your green thinking like never before like how your idea will impact the climate, the planet, it’s wonderful and innovative and very much positive with no negative returns for a cleaner and greener tomorrow. Its mission is to unlock the cleantech potential to better lives and reduce emissions. The best part of this is that they provide you with a free two-day boot camp where professionals guide you to start your very own business.

Its investment support partner is –

• EIT, a body of the European union

Some of its success stories include –

• ClimateLaunchPad India

They are looking for the next bright mind to enhance the field of green technology and with their beautiful yet concerning recruitment message of “ The important thing is to get your form submitted before your Country’s deadline ”, should provide us with the extra initiative to work harder.

Atal New India Challenge :

Atal New India Challenge is the brainchild of the Atal New Innovation Mission which aims at innovating creators to find affordable solutions to boost the national economy by providing them grants for their noble cause. This competition encourages entrepreneurs to create products from existing technologies to be readily available to common folks justifying a national cause, it also encourages the development of new deep-tech products and commercializing them on the context of the Indian economy. The program offers the opportunity to explore unique and incentivized solutions which will encourage students, researchers or any individual/group of individuals to ideate and design novel solutions.

Boasting an all government investors fund its truly the next pedestal for any start-up to reach the next level, these include—

• Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
• Ministry of Railways
• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
• Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Some of the focus areas wanted by this organization are listed as follows –

• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Fog vision system for road and rail
• Predictive maintenance of Rolling Stock
• Alternate fuel-based transportation
•  Smart Mobility
• Instant Portable Water Quality Testing
• Data analysis for water governance
• Greywater management
• Decentralized Composting
• Quality of compost

This competition conducted by the entrepreneurship cell of one of the most premier institutes of the country BITS Pilani which boats one of the most active Entrepreneurship development cells in the country.

Conquest encourages students to engage in the start-up culture, to develop new ideas and innovations, and do something of their own while going through the process of achieving your degree, to truly encourage this culture which is very much rare in this Indian economy. BITS Pilani holds its annual start-up fest, Conquest, which encourages students to bring about their ideas and showcase them in front of a panel of some well-known investors who are willing to pay up to 40 million rupees to kickstart your start-up if your idea is brilliant enough to strike.

Some of the Investors backing conquests are –

• Blume Ventures
• Lightspeed Ventures
• Trifecta Capital
• Accel Partners
• Uber Technologies
• Oracle Stratup Cloud
• Future Group FZ LLC

The Top 10 start-ups move to Bangalore for a 10-day accelerator program where they are provided free accommodation and co-working space.

The Top 50 start-ups get mentored one on one by stalwarts from the entrepreneurial world from different verticals like Customer Acquisition, Product Management, Fundraising, UI/UX, Sales, and Marketing.

Transcending the boundaries of geography and time, the Top 15 start-ups then get an opportunity to receive online mentoring over a 6 week period.

These points alone provide the perfect reason to participate with your ideas and blow some minds away.

These are the selected few which I have chosen for the opportunities all the young budding entrepreneurs should look out for this year, hopefully, this will guide some of the most brilliant minds out there looking for the perfect opportunity to prove themselves to the world and to take the next step into realizing their dreams.

Bizzneeti is a national level business conference organized by Colloquium, the business and management cell of NMIMS University . It aims to set in motion an interaction between industry experts today and the change-makers of tomorrow to promote more start-ups. It aims at youth empowerment and maintains the ideology of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ by providing young minds an amazing opportunity and motivating them to make a change in society.

This is a platform for young entrepreneurs to battle amongst each other in 3 comprehensive phases on the grounds of their unique ideas and intricate business plans. These all-inclusive phases will test everything to its last detail – idea, originality, research, monetary aspects, economic strategies, feasibility- to weed out the best. At the summit of the event, the best teams get to pitch their ideas to highly accomplished angel investors with the opportunity to grab cash prizes worth ₹55,000 .

Owing to the restrictions of the pandemic and keeping the safety of our participants and esteemed guests in mind, Bizzneeti 2021 was held online . For more details of the competition check this post .

Eureka is organized by IIT Bombay students. It is focused on Students and Working Professionals where they can participate and pitch their ideas.

Eureka is open for CleanTech, Core Sciences, Telecommunication, Biotechnology, Web Portals, Electronics, Manufacturing, Service, Entertainment, IT-Software, Retail, Power, Banking/Finance, Hospitality, HRD, Consultancy, Food Processing, Tourism.

Vishishth :

Vishishth is organized by IIT Delhi Students. In Vishishth all UG or PG student in any recognized college/university can participate.

Uddyam is organized by S P Jain college. In Uddyam students from any institute working in teams can participate. Commercializing TePP (Technopreneur Promotion Programme) Innovations.

Ventura is conducted by the Entrepreneurship Cell of NIT Trichy. Ventura is open to all Students / Working Professionals/ Entrepreneurs.

These are the categories which they are open for in Ventura: Rural Entrepreneurship, Women Entrepreneurship, Social Entrepreneurship, Biotechnology, Core Science, Telecommunication, Education, Electronics, Manufacturing, Nano Technology, IT-Software, Entertainment, Agriculture, Energy, Health, Biomedical, Web Portals, Consultancy, Food Processing

IIIT Allahabad B-Plan Competition :

It’s the headliner event of IIIC where students and nascent startups across the country get a chance to showcase their business plans before the industry experts. Best ideas win cash prizes and an opportunity to avail the incubation facilities available with IIIC. To help students and start-ups from IIITA, IIIC will be organising a business plan writing workshop within the premises of IIITA, where students get to know what, why and hows of ‘Business Plan Writing’.

Empresario :

Empresario  is the annual business model competition organized by  Entrepreneurship Cell, IIT Kharagpur  in association with  International Business Model Competition (IBMC) . Entrepreneurship Cell is searching for innovative and enterprising ideas through Empresario. Empresario’20 provides a platform for students to get excellent professional mentorship from our experienced, varied, and distinguished mentor pool, and to showcase their ideas in front of Venture Capitalists, Angel Investors, and Industry Leaders.

Eximius is among the largest national entrepreneurship summits in India. It stands for excellence! The spirit of entrepreneurship is celebrated in the three-day national summit, at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. There is stimulating energy unleashed by the convergence of brilliant minds in an electrifying world of innovation.

Do Share Your Thoughts :

Do tell us all your thoughts in the comments section below, we look forward to reading all the comments in the section below.

Also, do check useful Startup Resources and Tools below(👇) and do  join our newsletter for free for more interesting Business case studies, Startup knowledge, and Startup founders podcast delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning.

Do follow us:

Also, do comment your college Bplan competition name if it’s not listed above.

Related Articles:

• Top Indian Startup Accelerators and Incubators for your startup
• Social Entrepreneurship competition to participate
• Top Indian Startups that made to YCombinator (YC)
• How to write Startup Elevator Pitch with Examples
• Difference between Small business and Startups
• Difference between Startup Accelerator and Incubators
• Indian startups that made to Google Launchpad Accelerator
• Top Indian Startups that made up to Facebook Accelerator (Innovation Accelerator Program with T-Hub)
• What is Entrepreneur First?
• What is Startup India? | Everything you need to know about Startup India Scheme
• What are Unicorn Startups? | Unicorn Analysis of India

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15th March, 2024

Ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in you.

Present your business plan and win cash

prizes upto ₹1 Lakh

WHAT IS PRAGATI?

Pragati is a National Level Business Plan Competition where enterprising students present their shrewd business plan along with their innovative solutions and compete for a prize pool of up to ₹ 1 lakh. We aim at providing a platform for students with a business vision to compete with teams across India and transform their novel ideas into a market-ready business plan.

WHY PRAGATI?

Receive guidance from professionals and gain valuable insights through their experiences, whilst developing your market-ready business plan through series of workshops.

Grow your network by meeting entrepreneurial leaders and learn from their experience. 

Gain a chance to get your innovative solution recognized by industry leaders and our esteemed judges on this national level platform.

Advance your startup idea by earning a spot in IIC, SFIT's newly established incubation center.

1st Prize Rs. 40,000/-  

3rd Prize Rs. 10,000/-

2nd Prize Rs. 20,000/-

4 MARCH, 2024

Registration Ends

23 FEB, 2024

Early Bird Registration End

13 FEB, 2024

Registration Starts

10 MARCH, 2024

Business Plan Workshop

15 MARCH, 2024

PRAGATI Main Event

Participants need to register themselves on the official Pragati website. They are required to select one team leader who will register on the behalf of the entire team and will also be the point of contact to the organizers. The details of the other team members can be added later on.

Participants will be asked to pay a registration fee of Rs. 350/- per head after their abstract approval by our screening committee if they register within our early bird registration timeline. Registrants after that will be charged Rs. 400/­per head after their abstract approval.

Participants cannot register after the above mentioned date. 

 A series of workshops will be held to facilitate the students to develop their business plans in a more refined way. Students are encouraged to take full advantage of this opportunity as it will be industry professionals who will mentor and guide you throughout the workshop.

The details of the main event will be made available on your team dashboard. The event will commence with Inauguration followed by the competitions and conclude with valedictory where the winners will be announced. 

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IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024 Registration Open, Submit Your Ideas till April 30

Ankita Garkoti

Senior Content Writer | Updated On - Apr 15, 2024

Interested students and alumni of IGNOU can participate in IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024 by submitting their ideas by April 30, 2024. The top three business plans will receive the Best Business Plan Award-2024 and cash prizes.

New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is inviting entries for IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024 from all interested students and alumni of the institute. Students can participate by submitting their business ideas by April 30, 2024 .

As per IGNOU , the IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024 will be conducted by the Institution's Innovation Council (IIC) to empower students and alumni to translate their innovative ideas. The competition will be held in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 . 

How to Submit Entries for IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024?

Interested students who wish to submit their entries for IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024 have to download the template for the application form from the official website and submit the same with the required details to the official Email ID at [email protected] .

Informing about the process, the official notice reads, "If you participate in the Business Plan Competition-2024, IGNOU will provide you required support and guidance to convert your Business Idea into a Successful Startup". The idea should be focused on promoting, supporting and nurturing the startup culture in India.

Students can select any of the below-mentioned themes for the IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024:

• Food, agriculture and rural development
• Clean energy and alternate fuel
• Clean water and water management
• Environmental issues and waste management
• Swachchhata initiatives, healthcare, hygiene, lifestyle and sports
• Smart transportation and traffic management
• Smart city and urban development
• Social issues and security system
• Scientific and technological developments
• Education and online teaching-learning system

What is the Cash Prize for IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024?

The top three business plans will receive the Best Business Plan Award-2024 and the first winner will receive a cash prize of INR 7000/- . The second and third prizes will be awarded cash prizes of INR 5000/- and INR 3000/- respectively.

Additionally, all candidates who participate in the competition will be awarded a Certificate of Participation by IGNOU. The IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024 will provide participants with a platform to engage with other innovators and entrepreneurs and show their business ideas. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques. Who is eligible to participate in IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024?

Ans. All students and alumni of IGNOU are eligible to participate in IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024.

Ques. What is the last date to register for IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024?

Ans . The last date for submission of ideas for IGNOU Business Plan Competition 2024 is April 30, 2024. 

Latest Updates from IGNOU:

• IGNOU ODL and Online Programs Assignment Submission Last Date Extended till Apr 30
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IIMB students announce B-Plan competition ‘Bzzwings’ and start-up funding contest ‘Pitch Perfect’

Iimb institutional review board (irb).

Participants get cash prizes and opportunities for start-up funding, NSRCEL incubation and access to NSRCEL’s Launchpad program

06 July, 2021, Bengaluru: The PGP students of IIM Bangalore will host ‘ Bzzwings’ - one of the biggest B-Plan competitions in the country, during July and August 2021. The winners can get cash prizes worth five lakhs, and the finalist teams would get funding/incubation opportunities at NSRCEL, the innovation and entrepreneurship hub of IIMB.

The event will see 10 start-up teams being shortlisted out of hundreds from across the country that will present their ideas to a panel comprising investors, and judges from NSRCEL. With this competition, NSRCEL and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cell of IIMB aim to provide opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs in these challenging times. 

The registration process for the event is underway. Round 1 will be the eliminator, where teams need to apply with their business plan. Registration ends on 12 th July, 2021. Apply Here

For round 1, participants are required to submit their ideas in the standard PPT format available on the Dare 2 Compete (D2C) platform, by July 12, 2021. This is an elimination round, and NSRCEL will shortlist the top 10 teams for the second round by the third week of July. The judges from NSRCEL will shortlist the teams for the next stage. The evaluation criteria include a wide variety of parameters like the novelty of the idea, the problem it is solving, revenue prospects of the idea, scalability prospects, proven customer traction (if any), among others.

The 10 teams shortlisted in Round 1 will receive mentoring sessions for 20 days and go on to pitch their refined B-Plans in front of a distinguished panel of judges to compete for the cash awards. Moreover, they would also pitch to NSRCEL’s screening committee for possible offers of incubation at NSRCEL and equity funding to be declared later.

The results will be announced later during August 2021. Participants get an opportunity to win prizes worth more than INR 5 lakhs, along with opportunities for start-up funding, NSRCEL incubation and access to NSRCEL’s Launchpad program. Launchpad is a pre-Incubation program for early-stage ventures.

The final competition will be conducted during Eximius - the annual e-summit, organised by the students of IIMB, on August 21 and 22, 2021.

Pitcher Perfect

Along with the BzzWings, IIM Bangalore is also organizing Pitcher Perfect, the indigenous version of the TV series, Shark Tank. The event is designed for early-stage social start-ups to pitch their ideas in front of top-notch investors/VCs and raise funding. This year’s theme is designed to push collective thinking, encourage start-ups and investors to take risks, and explore innovative ideas to solve the problems in the healthcare and education sectors. The goal is to fuel and reward the entrepreneurial spirit in a fun, safe setting by suspending the typical grantor/grantee dynamics and make the world a better place.

The event will be conducted over a period of two months, i.e., July and August 2021 with final round taking place on 21 st and 22 nd August 2021 during Eximius’21, the entrepreneurial fest organised by the students of IIMB.

This event will be conducted online. Start-ups in Revenue Stage can apply for the event via Dare 2 Compete (D2C). The competition will happen in three phases.

Round 1 will be the eliminator where teams need to apply with their Idea Pitch Deck. Registration ends on 15 th July, 2021. You can Apply Here .

Round 2 will be Due Diligence where shortlisted entries will be verified for their legality and financials.

The final round will be conducted, on August 21 and 22, 2021, during Eximius.

• Feb 11, 2022

PRAGATI 2022 – A NATIONAL LEVEL BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION

Reward: 50,000 INR

About the Contest:

Pragati 2022 is a national level competition where enterprising students present their shrewd business plan along with their innovative solutions. We aim at providing a platform for students with a business vision to compete with teams across India and transform their novel ideas into a market-ready business plan.

ProjectContest.com Outreach Partnering Event

Join Our Whatsapp Group for Contest & Training Updates:

The flow of the event:

Registration: (Closes on 15th February)

Participants need to register as a team, consisting of a maximum of 5 and a minimum of 2 members. Teams who wish to make a change in their team's structure after registration must contact the organizing team who will guide them further.

Post-Registration: The team leader should add the details of their team members after logging into the team dashboard. You will also have access to our blogs and social media updates all in one place.

Abstract Submission:

Participants need to submit the abstract of their business idea with the template provided on the dashboard after they complete the registration.

Your abstract will be reviewed by our screening team for plagiarism and originality of the idea.

You will be updated about the status of your abstract submission within a week on the dashboard.

If your abstract is approved by the screening team, you can move forward to pay the registration fee and confirm your participation in the competition.

If your abstract is not approved by the screening team, you will be notified of the reasoning and you will not be able to go forward in the competition.

You will be contacted by your point of contact to confirm your payment.

Proof of Concept:

After the payment, the participants need to submit a video of their proof of concept by 18th February 2022.

You will be provided with a reference video on how to make the video and a document with the points we require you to cover in the video.

The proof of concept video should show the demonstration of your project eg. demonstration of the system developed, website, or the platform where the services are available. Simulation for the projects is allowed in the competition.

Business Plan:

Participants need to develop a business plan for their idea. Qualification for the business plan will be subject to the approval of the abstract submitted to the Pragati Screening team.

The teams will be informed of their qualification of the abstract and must prepare their presentation material.

The business plan presentation by these teams will occur on the Pragati Event Days, and the slots will be allocated prior.

There will be a series of workshops to help and refine participants' business plans . Participants will be needed to attend these sessions as they will be mentored and guided by industry professionals to develop their business plan and also to get a clear idea of the rubrics for judging.

A sample presentation template will be provided. Participants are free to make their changes and develop their business plans.

Participants will need to submit 70% of their business plan by 2nd March 2022.

Dos and Don'ts:

1. Teams must adhere to the given deadlines, not doing so will lead to disqualification of the team.

2. Participants will mandatorily need to update their logbooks on the dashboard every week.

3. If a team wishes to modify (add or remove features from) their POC/Business Model topic must approach the organizing team. A decision will be made on an individual case basis, where the organizing team’s decision will be final and binding.

4. Changing topics is not allowed. In case a team wishes to do so, they will have to forfeit their current registration and re-apply for the competition with the new project topic.

5. All changes will be made ONLY IF the organizing team deems it possible and appropriate.

6. All reports must be submitted only in PDF (.pdf) format.

7. Presentations may include diagrams, videos, pictures, and/or any graphic content.

8. Participants will have to submit valid government and college/company ID proof and all other relevant authentic documents related to your project or business Plan for verification if and when needed.

9. The business model must be financially viable.

10. All participants of the qualifying teams must be present on the event day(s) at the virtual meet.

11. In case of any queries regarding the competition, feel free to contact your point of contact mentioned on the dashboard or the contacts mentioned on the website.

Who can apply:

Undergraduate students from professional courses (B.E/B.Tech/BBA etc) are eligible. Post graduate candidates (M.Tech/ME/MBA) are not eligible to participate. For institutions under Mumbai University, participation is allowed from second year onwards.

Past participants are eligible to participate in Pragati with a different idea compared to previous years.

1st Prize: ₹30,000

2nd Prize: ₹20,000

3rd Prize: ₹10,000

Other incentives:

1. Definite internships from Younity.in

2. 20% discount coupons from Younity.in

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4. Buy one Get one free coupon from PEEPL Store

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Also Read Industrial IoT Using LoRaWAN Technology by Enthu Tech-Training cum Internship: Click here

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Category of the contest: Startup Contest

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Disclaimer : Projectcontest website was started to support students, industries, and innovators to know various contest updates, we furnish the details in our website post which are taken from the contest link or details given by organizers which were given at the time of contest launch if any changes made in a contest such as a reward, date of closing, rules and regulation projectcontest.com is not responsible for the changes.

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Prarambh 2016

B-Plan Competition

If opportunity doesn't knock..Build a door

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. Most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

-->     Participants can register in a team consisting of maximum of 2 members.

-->     Competition is open for all (Individuals/ Teams can apply).

-->    The team leader will be the Point of Contact for the competition.

-->    A participant cannot be a member of more than one team.

-->     Multiple teams from the same Institute/Organization can participate.

    The Startups which are incorporated after 1st June, 2017 and not funded are eligible to participate

-->     Any kind of plagiarism will lead to disqualification.

-->     Entries submitted after deadlines will not be considered.

-->     The shortlisted teams for the campus round would be informed by email.

-->     The decisions of E-Cell and the jury will be final and binding on all the participants.

-->     Food and Accommodation of the shortlisted teams for campus round will be taken care of.

    Certificates for all teams who make it to the campus round.

Round 1: Online round - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. Submit the questionnaire by using the link

The application form will consist of a questionnaire about the proposed business idea which is to be duly filled

The evaluation will be on the basis of their uniqueness, feasibility and scalability.

The shortlisted teams for the campus round would be informed by email by 14th January 2023. Teams need to send their confirmation regarding participation within a day of the receipt of the mail, failing which the next best team would be invited.

Deadline for executive summary round is 8th January 2023 .

Results will be declared on 14th January 2023 .

The selected team need to send their confirmation within a day from the date of declaration of result. If not, then their selection stands cancel and the next best team from the waitlist will be selected.

Round 2: Campus round - PRESENTATION ROUND

There will be two rounds in campus round.

Participants must adhere to the following guidelines:

i) Presentation should be sent in PDF format.

ii) In case of any video, it should not exceed 2 minutes.

ii) Maximum number of slides should not be more than 20. Presentation should cover the following heads:

   a) Ideation and Environment Scan (Need fulfillment, Available Alternatives, Customer acceptance).

   b) Feasibility Study (Competition, Price Band and Potential).

   c) Market Offering (Firms Competitive Strategies, Differentiating Factors).

   d) Financial Projections ( Revenue Model , Forecasting).

   e) Marketing plan (Ex- 4ps, SWOT Analysis, etc).

   f) Model Timeline ( 2-3 years ).

iii) Subject line for the email : Aarambh_TeamName

iv) Mail the presentation to [email protected] with the details of the team ( name, phone number, email-id) by 11:59:59pm Saturday 18th January,2023.

v) Only top 20 entries will qualify for the final round.

vi) Time allocated to each team will be 20 minutes (15+5) encompassing the presentation and a Q&A round.

Venue for the Final round: IMT Nagpur.

Prizes: 1st Prize: ₹ 75,000/- 2nd Prize: ₹ 50,000/- 3rd Prize: ₹ 25,000/-

Important Dates: Submission of Executive summary: 18th December, 2019 to 12th January, 2023 . Announcement of teams Shortlisted for round 2: 14th January, 2023. Submission of presentation for round 2: 18th January, 2023 .

For any query call-

Shreya Paliwal: +91 8602687771

Surbhi Joshi: +91 8447936721

Ayush Arora: +91 9255600016

Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we're waiting.

Juries of Pantheon'20:

Title Sponsors

Technology partner, logistics partner, media partners, online media partner, brand partner, event partner, registration.

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-->

Terms & Conditions

-     An individual or the team of Individuals can participate but Maximum members in a team can be 4.

-     Every participant can be a member of only 1 team.

-     Multiple teams from the same college/organization is allowed.

-     The participants of a team may belong to the different institutes.

-     Though it must be noted that teams who have started /registered their company /start up before the span of last two years (i.e. 1st January,

      2014) are not eligible to participate.

-     Any form of Plagiarism will lead to disqualification.

-     Entries submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

-     The shortlisted teams for the campus round would be informed by email. Teams need to send their confirmation regarding participation within a

      day of the receipt of the mail, failing which the next best team in order of ranking of all submissions would be invited.

-     The decisions of Team Kushagra and the judge’s panel of the contest will be final and binding on all the participants.

-     Stay and Food of the shortlisted teams for campus round will be taken care of.

-     Certificates for all teams who made it to the campus round.

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Top Business Plan Competitions in India - A Quick Overview

Monday August 13, 2012 , 3 min Read

The first step to run a great business is to have an idea that has a great business plan in place. In a

way to provide the right platform and support for students with great ideas, the top engineering and

business schools in the country have their own business plan competitions where eminent panel of

judges judge these plans and the winners get to mentorship and other support apart from the prize in

these competitions. There are hundreds of bPlan competitions across the globe but only a handful take these business plans beyond the plan stage. Here’s a quick look at some of the top business plan competitions in the country:

Eureka! – Entrepreneurship Cell, IIT Bombay:

The Entrepreneurship Cell, IIT Bombay, acts as a place for all those who want to the unbeaten paths and

believe in leaving trails. The Cell aims at manifesting the latent Entrepreneurial spirit of young students.

Eureka! is the International Business plan competition organized by IIT Bombay offering a total

prize money of INR 2.4 million apart from the legal and financial consultancy services, mentoring

and a platform to solve queries for the winners enabling them to actually startup at the end of the

competition.

Empresario - Entrepreneurship cell, IIT Kharagpur:

Entrepreneurship Cell, IIT Kharagpur is a non-profit student body organization that is also among one of

the active E-cells in premiere colleges in the country. This E-cell, like other E-cells encourages start-ups

by providing them with required mentoring & support at different levels of incubation. E-cell has two

flagship events every year – EAD (Entrepreneurship Awareness Drive) and the Global Entrepreneurship

Summit (GES). Empresario is its business plan competition that invites entries for three different

categories comprising namely Clean Tech Challenge, Eclairez(social intiatives) and Negocio(for web and mobile application based ideas).

Vishishth - Entrepreneurship Cell, IIT Delhi:

IIT Delhi is one more of the IIT campuses with an active E-Cell promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship

among students. Like many other E-Cells, E-Cell IIT Delhi also has its flagship business plan competition

– Vishishth. The competition takes the competing teams right from the initial idea formulation stage,

business planning stage to the stage of investment providing them with resources to support them.

Conquest - Entrepreneurship Cell, BITS Pilani:

BITS Pilani is another premiere college in the country that boasts of an active entrepreneurship cell

that encouraging students to startup with their ideas. In a way to encourage this, the E-Cell conducts

Conquest, BITS Pilani's annual start-up challenge and entrepreneurship event that invites start-up ideas

and connects them to investors who are willing to pay up to Rs. 40 million as investment for the winning

Eximius – Entrepreneurship and Innovation Cell, IIM Bangalore:

Among the top management schools in the country, IIM Bangalore boosts of one of the most active

entrepreneurship cell. Eximius is their annual festival that covers various facets of entrepreneurship

while Next Big Idea is their business plan competition that aims to create a community of students who

become job providers rather than job seekers in India. The winners take home up to INR 1.5lakhs as cash prize.

Make your plans, win some cash, and then startup!

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IIM-A launches business plan competition for Confluence

Times of India

Students of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) have launched a business plan competition-Masterplan-as part of Confluence, its annual business summit.

Masterplan builds upon the summit's current theme, 'Changing winds: New Paradigms of Leadership' and focuses on the saying that recessionary periods are the best time to start your own venture. Microsoft, Genentech, General Motors, AT&T are some of the great companies that were founded during contrarian economic conditions. In these times, smart entrepreneurs often come up with innovative and efficient ways to provide just what the market demands and set up an example for others to follow.

"Through Masterplan, we want to identify budding entrepreneurs who have ideas for disruptive innovation and provide a platform to help their dreams come to fruition", says Akshay Palwe, one of the organizers of this business plan competition.

The business plan contest seeks to identify mavericks, who dare to think unconventionally and help them in launching seminal ventures. "Going against the current requires a right mix of radical thinking, unceasing efforts and unbridled optimism," said Palwe.

Masterplan has thrown its doors open to all for participation to solicit a wide range of ideas. Teams can comprise of business school students, undergraduate students, corporate professionals and other independent individuals. Business plans would be assessed on various parameters like ingenuity of the underlying approach, understanding of existing market landscape and growth trajectory for the business.

"Participants have no restrictions over the choice of topic for their business idea. However, we are actively looking for mentorship and funding in some areas like manpower development, renewable energy or mobile banking", said Kunal Gupta, the coordinator of Masterplan.

Masterplan has turned to Nurture Talent Academy as its official knowledge partner for mentoring. The academy would help the participants address the shortcomings in their B-plans and make their plans more potent. A select set of teams would be invited to IIMA campus during Confluence, where they would get an opportunity to present their

ideas to a panel of judges compromising of industry stalwarts, venture capitalists and angel investors. Prize money for the Masterplan competition is Rs 1.5 lakhs.

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Dear Students, Welcome to FKCCI – Manthan 2024

Last Date for Registration: 30 th March 2024

Last date for submitting the synopsis: 7 th march 2023, last date for registration: 5 th march 2023.

• The Last Date of Manthan Registration is 30th March 2024
• Welcome to The FKCCI Celebration of 16th Edition Manthan 2024 - INNOVATION AND BUSINESS PLAN PRESENTATION - 2024

Manthan 2024  Business Plan Presentation template

FKCCI conducts Industry-specific events and programs for the benefit of the society at large. One of the flagship events of FKCCI is MANTHAN, the annual Business Plan Presentation Award Program, which motivates the students to initiate the start-ups.

FKCCI is organizing “MANTHAN” a business plan presentation Competition for the Under Graduate/Graduate/Post- Graduate and Diploma Students in Karnataka to evaluate, recognize and reward the best original, commercially viable and implementable business proposals. Instituted in 2009 and now in its 16th edition, MANTHAN-2024 is aimed at encouraging young minds to develop the entrepreneurial spirit and motivate them to initiate the start-ups.

FKCCI’s earlier MANTHAN Grand Finale have been graced by personalities including His Excellency the late Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, Ms. Kiran Majumdar Shah, CMD, Biocon India Limited, Dr. S A Patil, Chairman, Karnataka Krishi Mission, Mr. Anil Kumble, Former Captain of Indian Cricket Team, Dr. M Veerappa Moily, the then Union Minister for Corporate Affairs, Prof. C N R Rao, National Research Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advance Scientific Research, Dr. Sam Pitroda, Former Advisor to Hon’ble Prime Minister on Public Information, Infrastructure & Innovations, Government of India, Mr. S R Patil, the then Minister for IT & BT, Government of Karnataka Dr. A. S Kiran Kumar then chairman ISRO, Padma Vibhushana Dr. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikarigalu, Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala, Mr. G.T Devegowda, then Minister for Higher Education Government of Karnataka, Sri. Sri. Sri. Dr. Nirmalananda Maha Swamiji, Adichunchanagiri Math, Mr. J Madhu Swamy, Hon’ble Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs & Minor Irrigation, Government of Karnataka, Mr. Guru Kiran, Renowned Music Director and Playback Singer, Mr. Tejasvi Surya, Hon’ble Member of Parliament Mr. Prashant Prakash, Chairman Vision Group for Startups, Government of Karnataka, Mr. Suresh Narasimha, Managing Partner, Co-create Venture, Mr. Madan Padaki, Founder & CEO 1BRIDGE, President, TiE Bangalore and many other personalities of repute known Nationally & Internationally.

Through this award program, MANTHAN reaches out to the Under Graduate, Graduate, Post-Graduate and Diploma Students from Institutions across  Karnataka . Once we receive the entries, the students are assisted to prepare business module. Then the proposals are evaluated in order to choose the best innovative, technically feasible, commercially viable and implementable Business Plans. The winners are awarded a total cash prize of Rs.10,00,000/-.

OFFICE BEARERS 2023-24

Ramesh Chandra Lahoti

President, fkcci.

M G Balakrishna

Sr. vice president, fkcci.

Ms. Uma Reddy

Vice president, fkcci.

B V Gopal Reddy

Imm. past president , fkcci.

Shri Keerthan Kumar M.​

Chairman, manthan 2024​.

CA Dr. I.S. Prasad​

Advisor, manthan 2024 past president, fkcci​.

Shree Prashanth Prakash

Chairman, grand jury manthan 2024, manthan 2022 - sub committee.

B A Abishek

Ankur Bhasin

C A Shravan Guduthur

D Suresh Kumar

Keerthan Kumar

Rtn Tejashree Sanjeeva

Rahul B Goyal

Core committee.

• Shri Ankur Bhasin
• Shri B.A. Abishek
• CA Shravan Gudutur 
• Shri Pranam K.J
• Shri Karthik Kittu 
• Smt. Tejashree
• Smt. Shubha Ganesh
• Smt. Lakshmi

Manthan Promo

Testimonials

Supported By

	Department of Bio Technology	Masters & Dotoral degree students in are of Life sciences	Bio Technology
	DST, Intel, NSRCEL & IIMB	Students, Entrepreneurs
	DST & Lockheed Martin	Entrepreneurs, Engineers, Scientists, Inventors, Developers & Researchers	All Innovative ideas from any industry
	Proto.in	Entrepreneurs	Any product based idea
	Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (IIM-A)	Entrepreneurs	Clean Tech & Renewable Energy, Telecommunication, Web Portals, Electronics, IT/ITES Services, IT-Software, Power
	Intel & UC Berkeley	Students, Alumni from various institutes around the World
	Intel & DST	Winners of other business competitions in India, Incubatees, companies with non Venture Cap financing	Technology based Ideas
	Intel & DST	Students of various colleges, universities etc in India	Students with new technology business plans from engineering colleges, polytechnics, universities, science colleges, medical schools and B-Schools.
	IIT Bombay	Students, Working Professionals	CleanTech, Core Sciences, Telecommunication, Biotechnology, Web Portals, Electronics, Manufacturing, Service, Entertainment, IT-Software, Retail, Power, Banking/Finance, Hospitality, HRD, Consultancy, Food Processing, Tourism
	IIT Delhi	Students	UG or PG student in any recognised college/university can participate
	MSME	MSMEs in India
	Harvard Business School	Students, Entrepreneurs	Business Ventures, Social Entrepreneurs
	S P Jain	Students from any institute working in teams	Commercializing TePP Innovations
	Pune Chapter of IIT Bombay Alumni Association	Innovators	Innovations in the form of processes, products and applications from varied fields such as medicine, agriculture, mechanical/electronic/chemical technology, IT products, etc.
	TiE - ISB	Entrepreneurs, Start-ups	Any company
	ISBA	Entrepreneurs, Start-ups	Any incubatee company of incubators across India who is looking to raise funds from professional investors
	Entrepreneurship Cell , NIT Trichy	Students / Working Professionals/ Entrepreneurs	Rural Entrepreneurship , Women Entrepreneurship , Social Entrepreneurship , Biotechnology , Core Science , Telecommunication, Education , Electronics , Manufacturing , Nano Technology , IT-Software , Entertainment , Agriculture , Energy , Health , Biomedical , Web Portals , Consultancy , Food Processing

• Other Indian competitions: http://nextbigidea.in/AcademicIstitutionpartners.php
• US/ Global competitions: http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessplans/article73208.html | http://www.bizplancompetitions.com/competitions/

Enter a Search Term

2020 competition, the 2020 rbpc was the first virtual edition of the competition.

2020 was the 20th year of the competition with 520+ startup teams from around the world submitting applications for 42 slots. More than 180 corporate and private sponsors and close to 200 judges: local and national angel investors, venture capitalists, corporate venture reps, sector specialists participated virtually from around the world. After 3 days, the competition concluded with $1.3+ Million in prize money awarded and pledged with 7 teams each winning $100,000 or more. 

The connections and the networking that you can get after the RBPC can literally change your startup's life. Robert Hatcher, 2020 Grand Prize Winner Founder, Aurign

Congratulations to the 2020 Winners

2020 elevator pitch competition.

The Mercury Fund Elevator Pitch Competition is a fast-paced, high-energy event. Each competitor has to pitch their startup in 60 seconds for a chance at prizes. This is a great opportunity for our judges to a get a glimpse at all of the startups and kicks off the competition. 

2020 Finals

After the elevator pitches and semi-finals, 7 startups moved on to the live finals! 

2020 Competitors

	School	Video Pitch
	MIT
	University of Maryland
	University of Iowa
	University of Maryland, Baltimore County
	Georgia State University
	University of Chicago
	Duke University
	Northwestern University
	Tufts University
	University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
	Oklahoma State University
	Ohio University
	University of California, San Diego
	University of Connecticut
	George Washington University
	Rice University
	Harvard University
	West Virginia University
	Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (India)
	Georgetown University
	Carnegie Mellon University
	University of Waterloo (Canada)
	University of Virginia
	Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico)
	Texas State University
	Dartmouth College
	University of Pittsburgh
	Northwestern University
	Norwegian University of Science and Technology
	Georgetown University
	University of Tennessee
	University of Manchester (UK)
	RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
	Johns Hopkins University
	Stanford University
	University of Louisville
	University of Texas at Arlington
	University of Michigan
	University of California San Diego
	Imperial College London
	Yale University
	Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

	School	Live Plan	Video Pitch
	University of Cambridge (United Kingdom
	MIT
	University of Washington
	Johns Hopkins University
	University of Chicago
	Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
	University of Chicago and Northwestern University
	University of Michigan
	Harvard University and MIT
	Columbia University
	Arizona State University
	University of Houston
	Carnegie Mellon University
	University of Notre Dame
	University of Michigan
	University of California, Irvine
	Arizona State University
	Boston University
	Brown University
	University of Pittsburgh
	Princeton University
	University of Victoria (Canada)
	Cornell University
	Rice University
	UCLA
	IIT Madras (India)
	Texas State University
	Dartmouth College
	Northwestern University
	RWTH Aachen University (Germany)
	Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
	University of Notre Dame
	University of California, Berkeley
	Northwestern University
	University of Iowa
	New York University
	Carnegie Mellon University
	Johns Hopkins University
	UCLA
	University of Arkansas at Little Rock
	Mitchell Hamline School of Law
	MIT

Read About All the Startups

Previous competitions.

For 21 years the Rice Business Plan Competition has provided student startups with mentorship, guidance and capital to help support them on their entrepreneurial journey! In 2020, the competition went virtual for the first time. Check out a few of our previous competitions' content, including elevator pitch videos, final pitches, photos and LivePlans.

• 2021 Competition - Big Ideas. Brilliant Startups.
• 2019 Competition - The Art of Entrepreneurship
• 2018 Competition - One Wild Ride

The 20 Best Business Plan Competitions to Get Funding

Business plan competitions can provide valuable feedback on your business idea or startup business plan template , in addition to providing an opportunity for funding for your business. This article will discuss what business planning competitions are, how to find them, and list the 20 most important business planning competitions.

On This Page:

What is a Business Plan Competition?

How do i find business plan competitions, 20 popular business plan competitions, tips for winning business plan competitions, other helpful business plan articles & templates.

A business plan competition is a contest between startup, early-stage, and/or growing businesses. The goal of the business plan competition is for participants to develop and submit an original idea or complete their existing business plan based on specific guidelines provided by the organization running the contest.

Companies are judged according to set criteria including creativity, feasibility, execution, and the quality of your business plan.

A quick Google search will lead you to several websites that list business planning competitions. 

Each site has a different way of organizing the business planning competitions it lists, so you’ll need to spend some time looking through each website to find opportunities that are relevant for your type of business or industry.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

Below we’ve highlighted 20 of these popular competitions, the requirements and how to find additional information. The following list is not exhaustive; however, these popular competitions are great places to start if you’re looking for a business competition.

Rice Business Plan Competition

The Rice University Business Plan Competition is designed to help collegiate entrepreneurs by offering a real-world platform on which to present their businesses to investors, receive coaching, network with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, fine-tune their entrepreneurship plan, and learn what it takes to launch a successful business.

Who is Eligible?

Initial eligibility requirements include teams and/or entrepreneurs that:

• are student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed
• include at least two current student founders or management team members, and at least one is a current graduate degree-seeking student
• are from a college or university anywhere in the world
• have not raised more than $250,000 in equity capital
• have not generated revenue of more than $100,000 in any 12-month period
• are seeking funding or capital
• have a potentially viable investment opportunity

You can find additional  eligibility information on their website.

Where is the Competition Held?

The Rice Business Plan Competition is hosted in Houston, TX at Rice University, the Jones Graduate School of Business.

What Can You Win?

In 2021, $1.6 Million in investment, cash prizes, and in-kind prizes was awarded to the teams competing.

This two-part milestone grant funding program and pitch competition is designed to assist students with measurable goals in launching their enterprises.

Teams must be made up of at least one student from an institution of higher education in Utah and fulfill all of the following requirements:

• The founding student must be registered for a minimum of nine (9) credit hours during the semester they are participating. The credit hours must be taken as a matriculated, admitted, and degree-seeking student.
• A representative from your team must engage in each stage of Get Seeded (application process, pre-pitch, and final pitch)
• There are no restrictions regarding other team members; however, we suggest building a balanced team with a strong combination of finance, marketing, engineering, and technology skills.
• The funds awarded must be used to advance the idea.

The business plan competition will be hosted in Salt Lake City, UT at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah.

There are two grants opportunities:

• Microgrant up to $500
• Seed Grant for $501 – $1,500

Global Student Entrepreneur Awards

The Global Student Entrepreneur Awards is a worldwide business plan competition for students from all majors. The GSEA aims to empower talented young people from around the world, inspire them to create and shape business ventures, encourage entrepreneurship in higher education, and support the next generation of global leaders.

• You must be enrolled for the current academic year in a university/college as an undergraduate or graduate student at the time of application. Full-time enrollment is not required; part-time enrollment is acceptable.
• You must be the owner, founder, or controlling shareholder of your student business. Each company can be represented by only one owner/co-founder – studentpreneur.
• Your student business must have been in operation for at least six consecutive months prior to the application.
• Your business must have generated US $500 or received US $1000 in investments at the time of application.
• You should not have been one of the final round competitors from any previous year’s competition.
• The age cap for participation is 30 years of age.

You can find additional   eligibility information on their website.

Regional competitions are held in various locations worldwide over several months throughout the school year. The top four teams then compete for cash prizes during finals week at the Goldman Sachs headquarters in New York City.

At the Global Finals, students compete for a total prize package of $50,000 in cash and first place receives $25,000. All travel and lodging expenses are also covered. Second place gets US $10,000, while third place earns US $5,000. Additional prizes are handed out at the Global Finals for Social Impact, Innovation, and Lessons from the Edge.

Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

The collegiate entrepreneurs organization business plan competition.

The Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization Business Plan Competition (COEBPC) exists to help early-stage entrepreneurs develop their business skills, build entrepreneurial networks, and learn more about how they can transform ideas into reality. It also offers cash prizes to reward entrepreneurship, provide an opportunity for recognition of top student entrepreneurs around the world, and provide unique opportunities for networking.

To compete, you must:

• Be a currently enrolled student at an accredited institution
• Have a viable business concept or be the creator of an existing business that generates revenue.

If you are among the top three finalists of the business plan competition and successfully receive prize money, you will be required to submit a class schedule under your name for the current academic semester. Failure to do so will result in the forfeit of the prize money.

All competitions are held online. The finalist will receive a trip to the International Career Development Conference, where they have an opportunity to win additional prizes from CEO’s sponsors.

• First Place – $7,000
• Second Place – $5,000
• Third Place – $3,000
• People’s Choice Award – Collegiate Entrepreneur of the Year – $600

MIT 100k Business Plan Competition and Expo

The MIT 100K was created in 2010 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to foster entrepreneurship and innovation on campus and around the world. Consists of three distinct and increasingly intensive competitions throughout the school year: PITCH, ACCELERATE, and LAUNCH. 

• Submissions may be entered by individuals or teams.
• Each team may enter one idea.
• Each team must have at least one currently registered MIT student; if you are submitting as an individual, you must be a currently registered MIT student.
• Entries must be the original work of entrants.
• Teams must disclose any funding already received at the time of registration.

Hosted in Cambridge, MA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology beginning in October through May of each academic year.

Top finalists will have a chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges at a live event for the chance to win the $5,000 Grand Prize or the $2,000 Audience Choice Award.

20 Finalists are paired with industry-specific business professionals for mentorship and business planning and a $1,000 budget for marketing and/or business development expenses.

The 10 Top Finalists participate in the Showcase and compete for the $10,000 Audience Choice Award while the 3 Top Finalists automatically advance to LAUNCH semi-finals.

The grand prize winner receives a cash prize of $100,000 and the runner-up receives $25,000.

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Business Plan Competition

The FAU business plan competition is open to all undergraduate and graduate student entrepreneurs. The competition covers topics in the areas of information technology, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, operations management, etc.

All undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to participate.

The business plan competition will be held at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.

• First prize: $5,000 cash
• Second prize: $500 cash

Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Business Plan Competition

The Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Business Plan Competition is designed to offer an opportunity to develop your business plan with the guidance of industry experts. It provides the opportunity for you to compete against fellow entrepreneurs and explore big ideas.

• Participants must be the legal age to enter into contracts in the country of residence.
• Participants may not be employed by an organization other than their own company or business that they are launching for this competition.
• The plan should be for a new business, not an acquisition of another company.

The Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Business Plan Competition is held in the USA.

There is a cash prize for first, second, and third place. There is also a potential for a business incubator opportunity, which would provide facilities and assistance to the winners of the competition.

Washington State University Business Plan Competition

The Washington State University Business Plan Competition has been serving students since 1979. The competition is a great opportunity for someone who is looking to get their business off the ground by gaining invaluable knowledge of running a successful business. It offers a wide range of topics and competition styles.

• Any college undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree-seeking student at Washington State University
• The company must be an early-stage venture with less than $250,000 in annual gross sales revenue.

The Washington State University Business Plan Competition is held in the Associated Students Inc. Building on the Washington State University campus which is located in Pullman, Washington.

There are a wide variety of prizes that could be won at the Washington State University Business Plan Competition. This is because the business plan competition has been serving students for over 30 years and as such, they have offered more than one type of competition. The common prize though is $1,000 which is awarded to the winner of each class. There are also awards for those who come in second place, third place, etc.

Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition

The Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition is one of the most well-known competitions in the country. They have partnered with many prestigious institutions to provide funding, mentorship, and expertise for the competition.

Education ventures with innovative solutions to educational inequity from around the world are encouraged to apply, especially those ventures founded by and serving individuals from marginalized and historically underrepresented communities.

We encourage applicants working in every conceivable educational setting–from early childhood through corporate and adult training. We also welcome both nonprofit and for-profit submissions.

The competition is held at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

All finalists receive $1,000 in cash and $5,000 in Amazon Web Services promotional credits.

Next Founders Business Plan Competition

Next Founders is a competition geared towards innovative startups with a social impact, looking to transform society by addressing key global human needs. The competition inspires and identifies energetic, optimistic entrepreneurs who are committed to achieving their vision.

Next Founders is for Canadian business owners of scalable, high-growth ventures.

Next Founders is held at the University of Toronto.

You could win up to $25,000 CAD in cash funding for your new business.

Hatch Pitch Competition

The Hatch Pitch competition is one of the most prestigious business competitions in the US. The winners of the Hatch Pitch Competition are given access to mentorship courses, discounted office space with all amenities included, incubators for startups, tailored education programs, financial counseling & more.

The competition is for companies with a business idea.

• The company’s product/service must have launched within the past 2 years, or be launched within 6 months after the Hatch Pitch event.
• Founders must retain some portion of ownership in the company.
• Received less than $5 million in funding from 3rd party investors.
• The presenter must actively participate in Hatch Pitch coaching.

The Hatch Pitch Competition is located at the Entrepreneur Space in Dallas.

The grand prize for this business plan competition is access to resources like incubators and mentorships that could prove invaluable in bringing your startup company to the next level.

TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield

The Startup Battlefield is a business plan competition that is sponsored by TechCrunch.  It awards the winner $50,000. There are two different rounds to this competition:

• First Round – 15 companies from all of the applicants that submitted their business plans for this round.
• Second Round – Two finalist companies compete against each other at TechCrunch Disrupt NY’s main stage.

At the time of the application process, companies must have a functional prototype to demo to the selection committee. In selecting final contestants, we will give preference to companies that launch some part of their product or business for the first time to the public and press through our competition. Companies that are in closed beta, private beta, limited release or generally have been flying under the radar are eligible. Hardware companies can have completed crowdfunding but those funds should have been directed to an earlier product prototype. Existing companies launching new feature sets do not qualify.

TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield is held at different locations.

The Startup Battlefield rewards the winner with $50,000. In addition, the two runner-ups get a prize of $5,000 each.

New Venture Challenge

New Venture Challenge is a competition hosted by the University of Chicago. There are 3 main categories that will be judged:

• Innovative Concept – Arguably the most important category, this focuses on uniqueness, originality, and suitability.
• Market Fit/Business Model – Are you solving an actual problem for your target market? Does your project have the potential for profit?
• Presentation – Did you make a compelling, impactful presentation? Did you clearly communicate your goals and vision to potential investors?

You can find  eligibility information on their website.

The New Venture Challenge competition is held in Chicago, IL.

Finalists are awarded:

• First Place: $50,000 equity investment and access to industry mentors and other resources.
• Second place: $25,000 equity investment and access to industry mentors and other resources.
• Third place: $15,000 equity investment and access to industry mentors and other resources.

New Venture Championship

The New Venture Championship is hosted by the University of Oregon and has been since 1987. The championship brings new ventures and innovative business ideas to life and the competition offers plan writing as a service to those who need it.

The University of Oregon New Venture Championship is open to university student teams with 2-5 members that have at least one graduate student involved with their venture. Students should be enrolled in a degree program or have finished their studies in the current academic year.

The New Venture Championship hosted by the University of Oregon is held in Eugene, Oregon.

Every business plan has a chance of winning a cash prize from $3,000 to $25,000 and additional benefits like plan coaching and office space rental.

Climatech & Energy Prize @ MIT

The Climatech & Energy Prize @ MIT is a competition that focuses on companies that are involved in the area of energy, environment, and climate change.

• Participants must be a team of two or more people.
• At least 50% of formal team members identified in the competition submission documentation must be enrolled as half-time or full-time college or university students.

The Climatech & Energy Prize @ MIT is held in Cambridge, MA.

The grand prize winner receives $100,000 and other winners may receive other monetary prizes.

Baylor Business New Venture Competition

This competition has been offered by Baylor for the last 20 years. It is designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs refine business ideas, and also gain valuable insights from judges and other entrepreneurs.

Must be a current undergraduate student at Baylor University or McLennan Community College.

The Baylor Business New Venture competition will be held at the Baylor University, Waco, TX.

The grand prize winner will receive $6,000. There are also other prizes given out to the other finalists in each category which are worth $1,500 – $2,000.

13th IOT/WT Innovation World Cup

The 13th IOT/WT Innovation World Cup was organized by the 13th IOT/WT Innovation World Cup Association. It was organized to provide a platform for innovators from all over the world to showcase their innovative ideas and projects. The competition aimed at drawing the attention of investors, venture capitalists, and potential business partners to meet with representatives from different companies and organizations in order to foster innovation.

The revolutionary Internet of Things and Wearable Technologies solutions from developers, innovative startups, scale-ups, SMEs, and researchers across the world are invited to participate. Eight different categories are available: Industrial, City, Home, Agriculture, Sports, Lifestyle, and Transport.

Only those submissions that have a functional prototype/proof of concept will advance in the competition, mere ideas will not be considered. 

The competition is held in Cleveland, Ohio also an important center for innovation and cutting-edge technology.

Win prizes worth over $500,000, connect with leading tech companies, speed up your development with advice from tech experts, join international conferences as a speaker or exhibitor, and become part of the worldwide IoT/WT Innovation World Cup® network. 

The U.Pitch is a competition that gives you a chance to share your idea and for the community of budding entrepreneurs, startup founders, CEOs, and venture capitalists to invest in your enterprise. It also provides mentoring by experts in the field.

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program
• Applicants may compete with either an idea OR business currently in operation
• Applicants must be 30 years of age or under

The U.Pitch is held in San Francisco, California.

Enter to win a part of the $10,000 prize pool.

At the core of CodeLaunch is an annual seed accelerator competition between individuals and groups who have software technology startup ideas.

If your startup has raised money, your product is stable, you have customers, and revenue, you are probably not a fit for CodeLaunch.

CodeLaunch is based in St. Louis, Missouri. 

The “winner” may be eligible for more seed capital and business services from some additional vendors.

New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition

The New York StartUP! is a competition sponsored by the New York Public Library to help entrepreneurs from around the world to develop their business ideas.

• You must live in Manhattan, The Bronx, or Staten Island
• Your business must be in Manhattan, The Bronx, or Staten Island
• All companies must have a big idea or business model in the startup phase and have earned less than $10,000

The New York StartUP! competition is held in New York, NY.

Two winners are chosen: 

•  Grand Prize – $15,000  
•  Runner-up – $7,500  

First, determine if the competition is worth your time and money to participate.

• What is the prize money?
• Who will be on the judging panel?
• Will there be any costs associated with entering and/or presenting at the competition (e.g., travel and lodging expenses)?

Once you’ve determined the worth of the competition, then shift to focusing on the details of the competition itself.

• What are the rules of the competition?
• Are there any disqualifying factors?
• How will you be judged during the different parts of the competition?

After conducting this research, it’s best to formulate an idea or product that appeals to the judges and is something they can really get behind. Make sure you thoroughly understand the rules and what is expected from your final product. Once you know what is expected from you, you’ll be able to refine and practice your pitch to help you move through the stages of the competition.

These competitions are a fantastic method to get new business owners thinking about business possibilities, writing business plans, and dominating the competition. These contests may assist you in gaining important feedback on your business concept or plan as well as potential monetary prizes to help your business get off the ground.  

How to Finish Your Business Plan in 1 Day!

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your business plan?

With Growthink’s Ultimate Business Plan Template you can finish your plan in just 8 hours or less!

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• How to Participate

How to Participate?

Big innovation quarter.

Teams must register a team leader, list team members, and enter submissions by filling the Big Innovation Competition Application Form. It is not necessary to list all team members at once, though please try to list teammates as soon as possible, so that they may be recognized as participants.

Teams and Team-Building

A team might consist of one person, or as many people as desired. Teams are typically 2 - 5 people. The team must designate a team leader. This team leader must lead the team and drive the venture development and will be the only person with whom the Amity Program Manager will communicate.

Participating in the Amity Innovation Chapter Competition

Once you have registered as the team leader, you may add/update your team members, accept the Amity Innovation Chapter Competition rules and regulations, submit your business plan, and receive feedback. See Competition Structure for full details about how and what to submit.

Business Plan Template

This template will help create a Business Plan suitable for submission to the big idea comptition.

• Describe the value proposition and features
• What market needs does the product/service address?
• Who is the target customer?
• What is the estimated size and value of market (current and projected)?
• Provide an overview of the competitive landscape.
• Describe the intellectual property associated with the business.
• What are your competitive strengths?
• Describe your competitors' strengths and weaknesses.
• What are the barriers to entry?
• What is the current status of the business (i.e. proof of concept, design, prototype, etc.)?
• What amount of seed funding is required and how will funds be used?
• Provide 3-year financial projections.
• Outline milestones for the next 6-12 months.
• Provide background information on the founding team.
• Describe any risks/challenges inherent in the proposed plan.
• How do you intend to mitigate these risks and meet these challenges?
• How does the company plan to generate revenue?

Submit Your Idea Here

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Asian Paints’ Brush With Competition

The company is facing new deep pocketed rivals and smaller players in the hinterlands, but the market leader knows how to up its game..

HAR GHAR KUCH KEHTA HAI (every house has a story) is an iconic jingle that has epitomised Asian Paints’ brand positioning as a company whose colours don’t just coat walls but capture memories, dreams, and aspirations, and in doing so makes it an indelible part of Indian households.

But just as colours fade over time, so does the invincibility of market leaders. With over 50% share in the home decor paints sector, Asian Paints is facing competitive intensity not just in urban but also rural households. From the quiet village of Bhavapur in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi constituency, Indrajeet Yadav, a mechanical engineer-turned-entrepreneur, is one of the new contenders looking to disrupt the dominance of this paint giant.

Yadav’s story began at the National Handmade Paper Institute in Jaipur, where he learned the art of turning cow dung into Khadi Prakritik Paint, an eco-friendly alternative to chemical paints. Driven by a mission to create local employment and curb urban migration, the 31-year-old invested in his own machines and launched Shri Krishna Khadi Works, producing eco-conscious paint at competitive prices. “I wanted to curb migration to cities and provide work for village women,” Yadav explains.

To avoid being pigeonholed as a local brand he is looking to collaborate with other Prakritik Paint makers — the brand is owned by Khadi — across Uttar Pradesh, creating a network that now comprises 15 producers across districts such as Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Unnao, and Amethi. “If a bucket of Prakritik Paint is visible in one place, it should be visible in other places, too. Only then will people see it as a national brand,” Yadav asserts. This collective approach is aimed at strengthening their market position, making their presence felt in different regions. “We are not competing on price but the fact that it’s a better alternative to chemical-based paints,” says Yadav.

Yet, the challenge from industry giants such as Asian Paints looms large. Asian Paints, India’s largest home decor paints company, is no stranger to competition. The rise of eco-friendly alternatives reflects a broader market shift where sustainability and innovation are increasingly valued by consumers. In response, Asian Paints launched Neo Bharat Latex Paint, designed to disrupt the unorganised segment with a branded, affordable solution. Amit Syngle, MD and CEO of Asian Paints, acknowledges the competitive landscape but remains confident. “We still feel that the bottom of the pyramid is a very huge market, estimated at about ₹5,000 crore,” he recently told analysts. The company’s strategy focuses on leveraging technology to offer a durable product at the cost of distemper, targeting rural consumers.

However, it’s not just the likes of Yadav but even stronger contenders who intend to give Asian Paints a run for its money.

The Heat Is On

JSW Paints, which debuted in 2019, has swiftly established itself as a formidable competitor, breaking even in FY24 with over ₹2,000 crore in revenue. The company aims to reach ₹5,000 crore by FY26 by expanding its retailer network and presence in both decorative paints and industrial coatings. Similarly, Birla Opus, launched under the Aditya Birla Group in April 2024, is aggressively scaling up, with over 80% of its planned 145 products already available. With 50,000+ dealers in its first year of operation, Opus is soon going to pip Berger (with 55,000 outlets) as it looks to close ranks on Asian Paints’ 1.6 lakh dealer network.

Close on the heels is Pidilite, though it is taking a more measured approach, in building its presence. Bharat Puri, MD, Pidilite Industries, highlights the company’s preference for a steady, sustainable entry into the market. “We are not entering this ring with all the big bang and fighting with the 300-pound gorilla; we will go about it our way organically,” Puri tells analysts.

Despite these challenges, Syngle remains unfazed, dismissing competition as mere “copy-paste” efforts that lack innovation. “There is nothing unusual, nothing innovative. Just because someone can put pricing pressure or muscle into a launch doesn’t mean it will impact the market,” he asserts. Syngle’s confidence stems from Asian Paints’ ability to maintain a premium pricing position, even as competitors attempt to undercut prices. “Today, Asian Paints commands a premium in the market by at least 5-10%,” he notes.

Syngle is confident of the company’s strategy, emphasising the importance of return on investment (RoI) for retailers. “The entire game on distribution is about aiding the retailer from the perspective of RoI. Are we generating demand? Are we helping them liquidate and rotate their capital effectively?” Syngle explains that the company uses AI to improve forecasting and order fill rates, coupled with strong marketing investments to drive consumer demand.

Nonetheless, analysts are questioning Asian Paints’ plans to retain dealer loyalty and expand its distribution network amidst increasing competition. “The chapters of this competition have been unfolding gradually. Talent loyalty was put to test over the last two years. In the next six months, customer loyalty will be tested, followed by dealer loyalty,” says Tejash Shah, analyst at Spark Capital, in the recent earnings call.

And it’s already happening.

In all luxury offerings (emulsion, wood finish and waterproofing) Birla Opus offers 9-12% in-bill discount vs 1-2% by Asian Paints, according to Elara Securities.

Not surprising, despite various initiatives to drive volume growth, Asian Paints’ revenue growth trend in FY25 is expected to be weak owing to price cuts, downtrading, and competitive pressure. In fact, the value-to-volume gap expanded to 12% in Q4FY24 from 7% in Q3FY24, owing to 3.5% price cut and downtrading.

“Everything goes through a cycle,” says Rushabh Sheth, co-founder and co-CIO, Karma Capital. “At the end of the day, every cycle will come to an end. This is true not just for India but across the world. Great businesses mature and become more like other normal businesses.”

While Asian Paints claims to have a pricing premium of 15% over Birla Opus, the company’s elevated EBITDA margin may not sustain in the near term.

Sheth sees Asian Paints facing a phase where its once-impenetrable market position might start to show cracks, especially with new entrants making significant inroads. “Structurally, Asian Paints is now in a far more competitive industry,” Sheth adds. “So, valuation, growth — everything gets impacted.”

Losing Its Shade?

Asian Paints continues to innovate, as reflected in its robust patent portfolio. Over 126 patents have been filed in the last six years, with 60 granted, contributing to new products that account for 11-12% of the company’s top line. But the market is starting to tell a different story. “The best is over for now,” Sheth asserts. “It’s not that Asian Paints will lose tomorrow, but structurally, it’s in a more competitive environment.”

Sampath Reddy, chief investment officer at Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, provides a different view. “The paint industry is going through intense competition right now. However, the industry itself continues to grow reasonably well. Asian Paints still stands out in terms of distribution strength, reach, and their network of tinting machines. That gives them an edge.”

With record (FY24) net sales of ₹35,495 crore and a 33% YoY increase in PAT to ₹5,460 crore, Asian Paints continues to hold its ground as India’s leading paint company. But declining return ratios and a sceptical Street have tempered expectations with the three promoter families’ cumulative stake value having fallen 10% to ₹1.54 lakh crore in Fortune India ’s Rich List ranking this year.

While the iconic jingle concludes with the line, Har ghar chup chaap se kehta hai, ke andar isme kaun rehta hai , the real-life scenario is anything but silent. The ensuing high-decibel battle royale among industry giants and emerging challengers will soon reveal who, in this vibrant clash of colours, will truly paint the town red.

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