The eighth annual Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge (IEC), hosted by Boise State’s Venture College in the College of Innovation and Design, will take place on April 7 at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place (JUMP) in Boise. The event is a statewide competition that brings Idaho’s most promising student innovators and entrepreneurs together to compete for over $50,000 in cash and other prizes. At least one founding member must be a registered, full-time college student in Idaho in order to apply for IEC. The application is open now through Feb. 25.
The competition will include 24 teams that will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges made up of entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts. Teams will be split between four tracks, and judges will select a track winner from each category to compete in the finals for additional cash prizes. Prize money will be split between the four tracks, with awards given to the track winners, and the first and second runners-up in each track. Track winners also will receive complementary services from attorneys and accountants as part of their prize package.
Students not only have the opportunity to win cash prizes to further their ventures, but will build a network that will last beyond the competition, receiving valuable feedback to launch their ventures. The winning team from the final competition will also qualify for the 2022 Boise Entrepreneur Week Pitch Competition for a chance to win an additional $25,000 in seed funding.
The event is made possible by sponsors Truckstop.com, Wells Fargo, Alturas, CDI Group of Companies, IGEM, Trolley House Ventures, Hawley Troxell, JUMP and Stratton & Associates.
Events and Programming
Boise State’s Venture College will be hosting a variety of workshops and open houses leading up to the competition.
- What’s Your Unfair Advantage with Matt Price, Feb. 3, 5-6 p.m.
Matt Price, chief operations officer of Killer Creamery and venture partner for Connetic Ventures, will discuss how to find your company’s unfair advantage that sets you apart from the competition. - Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge Open House, Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Enjoy pizza, meet the Venture College staff, and learn about the IEC. - Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge Open House, Feb. 16, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Join Venture College staff as they share more information about the upcoming IEC during this virtual open house. - Insider Tips from Past Winners and Judges, March 3, 5-6 p.m.
Hear from Adam Stock, founder of Cargo Made Ez and 2021 IEC Final Pitch Competition winner, and Nick Crabbs, partner and chief community officer at VYNYL and IEC Judge, about what the judges look for in the winning teams.
More information can be found on the IEC website.