Key facts
- Type
- Competition
- Deadline
- 10/1/2027
In short
The MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition is a series of three contests for MIT and Greater Boston students and researchers, offering over $300K in non-dilutive funding and a $100,000 Grand Prize for the winning venture.
MIT $100K Competition
CompetitionAccepting applications nowApply by 10/1/2027427 days left
$100,000
Grand Prize for Launch
Over $300,000
Total non-dilutive funding annually
3
Distinct contests: Pitch, Accelerate, Launch
Sept - May
Competition duration
MIT Sloan School of Management
Organizer
Overview
The MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition, established in 1989-1990, is a student-led initiative from the MIT Sloan School of Management that empowers students and researchers from MIT and Greater Boston to transform their innovative ideas and technology into successful companies. The competition provides a comprehensive network of resources, including mentorship from venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, media exposure, prototyping funds, business plan feedback, and discounted services. The competition is structured into three distinct, progressively intensive contests: Pitch (September), Accelerate (March), and Launch (May). These stages guide participants from articulating initial ideas to developing full business plans and prototypes. Over $300,000 in non-dilutive funding is distributed annually across these phases. Each contest serves a specific developmental purpose, from refining a 90-second pitch in Pitch, to developing and receiving expert feedback on prototypes in Accelerate, to presenting a complete business plan to a live audience in the grand finale, Launch. The ultimate goal is to foster the creation of leading companies, with past participants achieving significant market capitalization. Ultimately, the MIT $100K Competition aims to provide a robust platform for nascent ventures, offering critical support and exposure necessary for launch and growth. It culminates in the Launch contest, where semi-finalists receive funding and elite mentorship, and the winning team is awarded a $100,000 Grand Prize, signaling a significant step towards entrepreneurial success.
What to build
Participants must develop and present a new venture, progressing from an initial idea (Pitch) to a prototype (Accelerate), and finally to a full business plan (Launch). The goal is to transform talent, ideas, and technology into a leading company.
Prizes
Grand Prize (Launch)
$100,000
Grand Prize (Accelerate)
$10,000
Audience Choice Award (Accelerate)
Undisclosed
Grand Prize (Pitch)
$5,000
Audience Choice Award (Pitch)
$2,000
Key dates
- Pitch contest (approx.)September 2026
- Accelerate contest (approx.)March 2027
- Launch Semi-FinalsApril 30, 2027
- Launch FinalsMay 12, 2027
Eligibility
Submissions can be by individuals or teams, with each team limited to one idea. Every team must include at least one currently registered MIT student. If submitting as an individual, you must be a currently registered MIT student. This includes all full-time and part-time undergraduates and graduate students, including PhD/doctoral candidates. The qualifying MIT student must provide their @mit.edu email address at submission and at least one MIT student from the team must attend all required events. A single individual cannot be the sole qualifying student for two teams. Entries must be original work. Teams must disclose any funding already received at registration. For Pitch, teams must not have accepted any equity funding or non-equity funding exceeding $100,000. For Accelerate, teams must not have accepted any equity funding (except from student-led venture funds, if combined with other non-equity funding it doesn't exceed $150,000) and non-equity funding must not exceed $150,000. For Launch, teams must not have accepted any equity funding (except from student-led venture funds, if combined with other non-equity funding it doesn't exceed $250,000) and non-equity funding must not exceed $250,000. MIT faculty are eligible to participate on teams but not for prize money. The Organizing Committee reserves the right to determine eligibility and disqualify any entry violating the rules.
How to enter
- Form an individual entry or a team.
- Ensure at least one currently registered MIT student is part of the team or is the individual applicant.
- Develop your idea/business plan.
- Apply for the relevant competition phase (Pitch, Accelerate, or Launch) via the official website during the application period.
Submission requirements
- Each team may enter one idea.
- Each team must have at least one currently registered MIT student.
- MIT students must submit their @mit.edu email address at submission time.
- Required events must be attended by at least one MIT student on each team.
- Entries must be the original work of entrants.
- Teams must disclose any funding already received at the time of registration.
- Teams must not have accepted equity funding (e.g., VC, Angel, other dilutive funding) for the idea presented, with a specific exception for student-led venture funds for Accelerate and Launch.
- Teams must not have accepted non-equity external funding exceeding specified limits for each competition phase (Pitch: $100,000; Accelerate: $150,000; Launch: $250,000).