Competition Winners

Encouraging Entrepreneurship among students and alumni

The annual University of Miami Business Plan Competition, hosted by the Miami Herbert Business School, encourages entrepreneurship among students throughout the University of Miami. The School recognizes that potentially successful business ideas can come from a wide range of disciplines and may originate from an individual or from a group of individuals. 

The competition has two separate tracks: (1) undergraduate student track; (2) graduate students and alumni track. The competition kicks off in the fall and entrants are invited to submit a 1-3 page concept paper.

Prize Money

Nearly $50,000 in prize money was awarded in 2017.

Following a review of all entries, teams are selected as semifinalists and are invited to submit detailed business plans. Finalists are announced in the spring semester and invited to present their business plans before judges. The judges select the top three teams in each track: (1) undergraduate; and (2) graduate and alumni to continue in the competition and pitch to a "live" audience for the Grand Finale. Nearly $50,000 in prize money and services is awarded at the Grand Finale. Kelly Pierce (right) won first place and $10,000 in the graduate student/alumni category in 2017 for Pierce Plan.

Past Winners

Ventures producing a high-performance computer with a water cooling system and an online portal to help high school student athletes obtain college scholarships have taken top honors in the 2018 University of Miami Business Plan Competition, hosted by the Miami Herbert Business School.