ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 15, 2018) – The Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership has opened applications for the Joust New Venture Competition. The competition challenges students to pitch a business idea for a chance at $75,000 in cash and essential business services. Students can learn more and apply to compete by March 9 at cel.ucf.edu/joust.

Throughout the application process, the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership will have workshops and offer applicants free coaching at the Blackstone LaunchPad to strengthen their ideas. After the application deadline, select students will be invited to pitch their ideas at the semi-finals on March 29. The top four competitors will then compete at the finals on April 11. The Joust Finals will bring together big ideas, great prizes, and prominent community leaders to celebrate student entrepreneurship.

The competition is open to any student and all types of proposals will be considered. In the past, students have pitched a wide variety of startup ideas. Recent winners include Talon Simulations, a virtual reality development startup, Capacitech, a nanoscience research venture, and Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co., a family-owned tea company.

About the UCF Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
The UCF Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership was founded to make entrepreneurship an essential part of the UCF experience. Our curriculum options, Blackstone LaunchPad coaching program, and startup events, showcases and competitions offer UCF students from all disciplines opportunities to explore entrepreneurship as a career path.

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Contact: Megan Coffie
UCF Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
859.462.6798
megancoffie@knights.ucf.edu