The Mercer Innovation Center and Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society are seeking students with innovative business concepts for the University’s annual Next Big Idea Pitch competition. Up to $6,000 in prize money will be awarded to the winners. 

Mercer is committed to mentoring and supporting student entrepreneurs, and the competition is a great opportunity for students to practice public speaking, obtain feedback, build their resumes and earn startup funding for their ventures, said Dr. Marko Horn, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship in the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business.

“The Next Big Idea Business Pitch competition is a fantastic opportunity for Mercer students to apply what they have learned and train how to condense and present a complex idea. Those are very highly valued skills in today's job market,” said Dr. Horn. “As an added bonus there is some serious prize money at stake. We would love to have students from every School represented in the competition.”

The Next Big Idea competition is open to all currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students from all Mercer campuses and majors and is open to not-for-profit and for-profit ideas. Submissions may be entered by individuals or teams. Each individual or team may enter one idea, and individuals may participate on only one team. At least one member of each team must be a currently enrolled Mercer student.

Students may register by submitting an executive summary by Sunday, March 23, at 11:59 p.m. Finalists will be announced on March 30, and they will deliver a 10-minute pitch in person to a panel of judges and a live audience on Tuesday, April 8, from 5-8 p.m. at the Mercer Innovation Center on College Street.

For more information, email [email protected], Dr. Marko Horn, Stephanie Howard or Dr. Briana Stenard.