Returning in 2021 for its 6th year, the Bull Ring New Venture Competition serves as a launchpad for new business ideas from CSUN students across campus. The event is hosted by CSUN's David Nazarian College of Business & Economics and has been made possible thanks to the generosity and support of distinguished CSUN alum Jeff Marine and his family.
Applications are due Sunday, March 7th!
Grand Prize | $5,000
2nd Place | $2,500
3rd Place | $1,500
Audience Choice | $1,000
Each of the 20 Semi-Finalist teams will be paired with a dedicated mentor for the duration of the competition and provided additional coaching and support services. 5 Finalists will subsequently be selected to compete at the Final Event for $10,000 in cash prizes. See below for more details and full competition schedule!
Wednesday, February 10th
Kickoff / Information Session
RSVP
Friday, February 19th
Workshop: Pitching Your Startup Story
RSVP
Tuesday, February 23rd
Workshop: Early Stage Startup Funding
RSVP
Wednesday, March 3rd
Workshop: Startup Legal Considerations
RSVP
Sunday, March 7th
Applications Due
Submit
Friday, March 12th
20 Semi-Finalist Teams Announced
March 12th onward
Coaching & Mentoring Period
Friday, April 9th
5 Finalist Teams Announced
Tuesday, April 27th
Final Event
Audience RSVP
Applications are due Sunday, March 7th, 2021 (submitted via Canvas) and require:
(1) a 10-25 page slide deck *or*
5-7 page executive summary, AND
(2) a video not to exceed 2 minutes.
1) The competition is open to ALL current CSUN students.
2) The competition is intended for student-created, -managed, and -owned ventures.
3) Teams must be comprised of at least 2 members.
4) At least 50% of team members must be current CSUN students as of the 2020-2021 academic year (Fall 2020 graduates eligible). The "pitch" must be delivered by a CSUN student.
5) Businesses currently earning >$15K in annual revenue are not eligible.
6) Business that have already raised >$50K in funding from outside sources are not eligible.
7) Both for-profit and non-profit business concepts are eligible; however, sources of revenue must be addressed.
8) An individual may only be a member of one team.
9) 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from past Bull Ring Competitions are not eligible.
The Entrepreneurship Program at the Nazarian College complements our students’ inherent energy and creativity with the skills and knowledge necessary to evaluate the feasibility of an idea and ultimately pitch, launch, and grow a new venture. Whether planning to create a business or bringing the entrepreneurial mindset to a larger organization, the program prepares students to confidently present to an audience while developing a strong action-bias and a willingness to experiment.
