Big Idea Pitch Contest

Local high school and college students develop their innovative business idea, gain local exposure, and pitch their idea to a panel of expert judges in competition for cash prizes.

Gallery
Application Due Date
March 21, 2025
Start Date
May 7, 2025
End Date
May 7, 2025
Gallery
Application Due Date
March 21, 2025
Start Date
May 7, 2025
End Date
May 7, 2025

The BIG IDEA Pitch Contest gives you an opportunity to pitch your business idea to a panel of expert judges. It all starts with a BIG IDEA. We are looking for innovative products and services that solve real problems to satisfy the needs of growing markets. Successful applicants introduce scalable concepts that can be accelerated by connecting to key mentorship and business resources. Whether your idea is conceptual, in development or a launched startup, this competition is right for you. Apply online with a written application and a short video submission. If chosen as a finalist, you will pitch live at College of DuPage to a panel of judges and to a livestreamed audience on May 7th. The contest is open for general public viewing and we encourage your family, friends, teachers and colleagues to attend!

Prizes

1st Prize  | $5,000
2nd Prize | $4,000
3rd Prize  | $3,000

All finalists will also receive a six-month membership to Innovation DuPage.

Who Should Apply?

Apply on Your Own or With Your Business Team! Participants Must Be:

- College of DuPage Students or Recent Alumni (1-2 years)
- Local Area Students Attending a High School Located in DuPage County
- Students Enrolled in One of The Academic Partner of Innovation DuPage

Application Process

Complete the online BIG IDEA application by March 21st. The application includes a written portion where we ask you to tell us about yourself (and your business team, if applicable) and provide information on your business. You will also submit a 2-3 minute video where you briefly showcase your business idea.

For help in completing the application, we are offering two information sessions with COD business faculty. Attend a information session that works best for you.

All finalists will be judged and selected by Innovation DuPage and College of DuPage, at their sole discretion. They will be notified on or before April 7th, if chosen to pitch in the final round.

Support for the Big Idea Pitch Contest is made possible in part by DuPage Foundation, and the Perma-Seal Fund of the DuPage Foundation.

Confidentiality/Privacy Waivers

The final round of the contest will be in-person and streamed online. This event will be open to students, staff and the wider community, therefore confidentiality is not guaranteed. If you wish to keep elements of your business or idea confidential, you should not include this information in your pitch. A video version of the Pitch Contest will also be shared on the College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage websites and on local cable channel. There is no way for College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage to prohibit the sharing of pitch contest content with others. Pitch applicants and all participating business team members under the age of 18 are required to have a parent/guardian sign a waiver for participation.

Sponsors

The Big IDea Pitch Contest is proudly sponsored by College of DuPage, Innovation DuPage, DuPage Foundation, and the Perma-Seal Fund of the DuPage Foundation.

The BIG IDEA Pitch Contest gives you an opportunity to pitch your business idea to a panel of expert judges. It all starts with a BIG IDEA. We are looking for innovative products and services that solve real problems to satisfy the needs of growing markets. Successful applicants introduce scalable concepts that can be accelerated by connecting to key mentorship and business resources. Whether your idea is conceptual, in development or a launched startup, this competition is right for you. Apply online with a written application and a short video submission. If chosen as a finalist, you will pitch live at College of DuPage to a panel of judges and to a livestreamed audience on May 7th. The contest is open for general public viewing and we encourage your family, friends, teachers and colleagues to attend!

Prizes

1st Prize  | $5,000
2nd Prize | $4,000
3rd Prize  | $3,000

All finalists will also receive a six-month membership to Innovation DuPage.

Who Should Apply?

Apply on Your Own or With Your Business Team! Participants Must Be:

- College of DuPage Students or Recent Alumni (1-2 years)
- Local Area Students Attending a High School Located in DuPage County
- Students Enrolled in One of The Academic Partner of Innovation DuPage

Application Process

Complete the online BIG IDEA application by March 21st. The application includes a written portion where we ask you to tell us about yourself (and your business team, if applicable) and provide information on your business. You will also submit a 2-3 minute video where you briefly showcase your business idea.

For help in completing the application, we are offering two information sessions with COD business faculty. Attend a information session that works best for you.

All finalists will be judged and selected by Innovation DuPage and College of DuPage, at their sole discretion. They will be notified on or before April 7th, if chosen to pitch in the final round.

Support for the Big Idea Pitch Contest is made possible in part by DuPage Foundation, and the Perma-Seal Fund of the DuPage Foundation.

Confidentiality/Privacy Waivers

The final round of the contest will be in-person and streamed online. This event will be open to students, staff and the wider community, therefore confidentiality is not guaranteed. If you wish to keep elements of your business or idea confidential, you should not include this information in your pitch. A video version of the Pitch Contest will also be shared on the College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage websites and on local cable channel. There is no way for College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage to prohibit the sharing of pitch contest content with others. Pitch applicants and all participating business team members under the age of 18 are required to have a parent/guardian sign a waiver for participation.

Sponsors

The Big IDea Pitch Contest is proudly sponsored by College of DuPage, Innovation DuPage, DuPage Foundation, and the Perma-Seal Fund of the DuPage Foundation.

More information coming soon...

Sponsors

Investment Partners
Founding Partners
Academic Partners
Program Sponsors

Program Graduates

Testimonials

Melvin Henley
PAC Leaders

"The Construction Owner to CEO program was really phenomenal. It allowed me to do exactly what the title suggests: go from being an owner to a CEO! I highly endorse this program, so much so we had our Vice President come in the next season and benefit from it as well!"

Eduardo Salgado
CS Architectural Woodworking

"As a graduate of the Construction Owner-2-CEO program, I can tell you first hand, that Innovation DuPage has helped me scale my business. If you are a small business owner looking to take your business to the next level, enhancing your network, or searching for peer group of likeminded entrepreneurs, Innovation DuPage is the place for you."

Jackie Gomez
HACIA

"It's a really unique opportunity to create and curate a program designed to help business owners succeed and build their business in a very competitive environment. We are excited to partner with Innovation DuPage to create a more diverse and inclusive construction industry."

Yvonne Toney
The Cotton Seed Exchange

“Working with Innovation DuPage for the Owner to CEO program was amazing and the support and education received has really helped me to push my business a little further with new ideas, concepts and understanding the power of collaboration.”

Dr. Afua Aning
My Just Checking In

“ The Innovation DuPage Owner-2-CEO program has provided a pillar of support for our company as we grow into the future. By having a network of experienced professional networks to grow with and learn from, we can replicate a type of support generally restricted to those above the glass ceiling.”

Melissa Villanueva
Brewpoint Coffee

"ID has been an amazing educational and community resource for entrepreneurs. I enjoyed the Owner-2-CEO program and, to this day, still keep in contact with my cohort. ID doesn’t hesitate to connect and highlight business owners for opportunities.”

Brent Hasse
Flat LLC

"ID was hands-on in helping me properly position our product and get in front of the best partners for our company. Their support was instrumental is getting us accepted to the Techstars program, which has already started to shape our Flat and greatly improve our customer success."

Shian Jno-Lewis
The Tidy Queens

“Thank you to Innovation DuPage for creating a space that promotes collaboration among local businesses. The Owner to CEO program equips small business owners with the tools needed to work “on” instead of “in” their businesses. It was a total eye-opener and very beneficial in helping us take our business to greater heights.”

Nick L.
Wove

"As an autistic adult facing challenges in corporate and academic settings, entrepreneurism is vital for my self-sustainability. The capital and mentorship provided by the Neurodiverse Entrepreneur Program was critical to getting my startup off the ground. My company has become profitable just after a year."

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Miftha Syed
InstaPark Elmhurst University Student

"Participating in the Innovation DuPage BIG Idea Pitch Contest was an incredible journey filled with inspiration and growth. I cherished every moment of the experience. It provided me with the perfect platform to launch Instapark. This contest truly ignited my entrepreneurial spirit and reaffirmed my belief in the power of entrepreneurship."

Aaliya Khaja
InstaPark Elmhurst University Student

“The Big Idea Pitch Competition was definitely a remarkable experience for us! Being able to pitch our business idea to many entrepreneurs was exciting and we are excited to work on InstaPark to move forward and develop it into the app we've dreamed about. “

Joe Barron
Gray Matters Games

"As the first member company of Innovation DuPage, we’ve grown up together. I love being able to bounce different ideas off of other entrepreneurs, it saves all of us time, it saves us money, and takes our business to the next level."

Maureen Longoria & Lisa Burns
LivNow Relocation

"Innovation DuPage has brought us resources beyond belief. They’ve made connections with us that we could have never made on our own. What they have brought to LivNow Relocation is absolutely priceless."

Keith Wakeman
SuperBetter

“Kassidy (Our Intern) provided value to the SuperBetter company from day one. She provided valuable feedback on product design, created newsletters to update our SuperBetter community, and rolled up her sleeves to help get it done.”

Workshops

No events are scheduled at this time.

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