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Startup Competition

Spelpreneur Empowers and Inspires Collegiate Entrepreneurs

In its continuing effort to foster entrepreneurship and innovation, the Spelpreneur program will host its third annual Spelpreneur 10-Day Startup Competition from March 20-30, 2022. Throughout the 10 days, aspiring entrepreneurs at Spelman will hone the skills needed to advance through the process from problem identification to minimum viable product. Students will form teams; identify a unique problem; demonstrate how their idea presents the best solution to the problem; build a mock-up and business case; and pitch their “Shark Tank” style idea.

Competition Schedule

ALL SESSIONS ARE VIRTUAL EXCEPT PITCH NIGHT. ALL TIMES ARE TENTATIVE.

Day 1 | Sunday, March 20 | 2 - 4 p.m.

Day 2 | Monday, March 21 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Day 3 | Tuesday, March 22 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Day 4 | Wednesday, March 23 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Day 5 | Thursday, March 24 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Day 6 | Friday, March 25 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Day 7 | Saturday, March 26 | 2 - 4 p.m.

Day 8 | Sunday, March 27 | 2 - 4 p.m.

Day 9| Monday, March 28 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Day 10| Tuesday, March 29 | 6 - 8 p.m.

Pitch Night | Wednesday, March 30 | 6 - 9 p.m.

Watch the Competition

How the Competition Works

This program is like a hackathon spread over 10 days. In this fast-paced and immersive environment, student teams are taught new startup concepts each day and are expected to implement them immediately with the help of a combination of Spelman faculty/staff, Spelman alumnae entrepreneurs, and Atlanta-based women entrepreneurs who will serve as mentors.

Teams will be composed of a minimum of two members or a maximum of four members
Teams are not limited to a specific category of problems
Team members must attend all required sessions to be eligible to compete on Pitch Night
If more than 10 teams are accepted to participate in the 10 days, then ONLY 10 teams will be selected to compete on Pitch Night based on their progress through day 8 of the competition

Application Requirements

The competition is open to any student currently enrolled at Spelman College. All majors are welcomed
Teams will be composed of a minimum of two members or a maximum of four members
Students must bring their own laptops or have access to a computer during the program
If a student participated in the 10-Day Startup Competition in 2019 and/or 2021, the student would need to identify a problem in 2022 that is different from the one(s) presented in prior years
If a student is an existing business owner, the student business owner would need to identify a problem NOT related to her business
Team members must attend all required sessions to be eligible to compete at Pitch Night

Each year, the Spelpreneur 10-Day Startup Competition gets better and better. This year’s competition exceeded my expectations. Over the 10 days of the competition, students addressed problems that are on a national scale - ones that weren't just localized to their campus experience -- and developed solutions in a very methodical and well thought out manner. Mentors spent countless hours providing invaluable advice; and students advanced their ideas to a tangible product /service — what a sense of empowerment. I look forward to seeing what’s next for the students in their entrepreneurial journey.”

-- Sonya Rush, Strategic Business Leader and Lead Consultant for SpelPreneur

Prizes

Grand Prize - $5,000 per team
1st runner-up - $3,000 per team

2nd runner-up - $2,000 per team
Viewer's award - $500 per team
(this is voted on by the audience)

This edition of the Spelpreneur 10 Day Startup Challenge was, hands down, the best one yet. The students’ talent was on full display as they focused on solving a wide-ranging and mature set of problems generally only seen in seasoned entrepreneurs. Additionally, they were able to establish relationships with professionals from some of the top companies in the world. The future is bright for these students, and I can’t wait to track their growth.

-- Joey Womack, SpelPreneur Pitch Competition Organizer and Founder of Goodie Nation and Amplify for Good

Outcomes

Students Walked Away Empowered and Accomplished the Following:

Identified a specific, important and large problem
Learned how to develop a hypothesis of their target customer and quality feedback from customers and industry experts
Developed a mock-up and landing page
Created a revenue model outline with the ability to be implemented across multiple markets
Connected with mentors and expand networks

Next Steps: After the 10-day Competition, Then What?

The Spelpreneur program has no requirement of the team as well as no obligation to the team after the competition.

If students want to move forward with an idea after the competition, to create an actual startup, they are advised to seek independent legal counsel to ensure the appropriate steps to move forward are fulfilled (such as the formation of a legal business entity or the structuring and execution of a partnership or operating agreement to govern matters amongst members.)

An attorney (Georgia Lawyers for the Arts) would also be a resource to provide the students with direction in protecting intellectual property created and conducting intellectual property clearance searches (trademark, patents, etc.).

Large Blue Quote Left Entrepreneurship and tech startups are all the rage for several different reasons, and so educational institutions have to prepare their students for the future," said Joey Womack, CEO of Amplify4Good, an Atlanta-based agency that produces hackathons and innovative programs to help organizations create social impact. Womack, served as producer and coach for Spelman’s startup competition, is correct. A 2014 Bentley University survey of millennials from ages 18 to 34 found that two-thirds are interested in starting their own businesses.

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