Bull Ring New Venture Competition

Prize Packages

Grand Prize: $20,000
2nd Place: $10,000
3rd Place: $5,000

Each of the 20 Semi-Finalist teams will also receive $250.

In addition to the cash prizes, the top three finishers will receive a combined $30,000 of in-kind sponsorships from our generous sponsors - DLA Piper (legal), IntersectLA (marketing/branding), and Armanino (finance/accounting).

The prize money, sponsorships, and follow-on services are intended to provide you with not only significant startup capital, but also connections to industry leaders with the knowledge and expertise necessary to further market, organize, and protect your new venture.

Competition Schedule

Tuesday, Feb 11th | Bull Ring Info Session | RSVP

Sunday, March 8th | Application Deadline | Submit

Friday, March 13th | 20 Semi-Finalist Teams Announced

March 13th onward | Coaching & Mentoring Period

Thursday, March 26th | Bull Ring Semi-Finals ("the trade show")

Tuesday, April 28th | Bull Ring Final Event ("the shark tank")

Application Details

Applications are due Sunday, March 8th, 2020 (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.

The Fine Print: Rules & Eligibility

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 2019-2020 academic year (Fall 2019 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.

About CSUN's Entrepreneurship Program

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.