Win money for pitching ideas, business ventures!
Open to all current ODU undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of major.
Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business, in partnership with the Strome Entrepreneurial Center, is rewarding problem solving and creative thinking among university students with its second annual Opportunity Discovery Competition. Submissions for the 2025 competition, which will provide winners with up to $2,000 to further a product, program, idea, business venture or non-profit pitched to a panel of judges, are being accepted through Feb. 3.
Old Dominion University students interested in participating in the Opportunity Discovery Competition should submit a one-page description detailing their opportunity, with finalists chosen from that submission pool. Then, on Feb. 27, finalists will present their proposals to a panel of judges, who will award prize money for concepts they’d like to see move forward.
Executive Summary Qualifications
- Must be received via email to StromeCEI@odu.edu by noon on Feb. 3, 2025.
- No more than one page in length, in PDF format
- File should be labeled: YourTeamName_OpportunityDescription2025.pdf
- At least a 10-point font, with margins at least 0.5 inches
- Descriptions longer than one page or late submissions will not be accepted
Completion Timeline
- Tuesday, Jan. 22 @ 12:30 p.m.: 2026 Opportunity Discovery Competition Kickoff in the Strome Entrepreneurial Center
- Jan. 22-30: Strome Center Assistance on Opportunity Description
- Monday, Feb. 2 by Noon: Opportunity Description due (PDF file less than 1MB in size)
- Tuesday, Feb. 10 by Noon: Announce Finalists; Hold Info Session for Finalists on Thursday, February 13 at 12:30 p.m.
- Feb. 13-26: Strome Center Assistance on Presentation
- Thursday, Feb. 27: 2026 Opportunity Discovery Competition Finals and Awards Ceremony
Attend an Information Session
Jan. 16, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. (in-person at the Strome Entrepreneurial Center) or 5:30 p.m. via Zoom
