Apply for your startup to represent UChicago at University Pitch Madness 2025 hosted by DePaul University. Startups will have a chance to win a share of an estimated $25,000 in cash awards.

NOTE: This application is for UChicago undergraduate students only. Startups are allowed to have founders who are not UChicago undergraduate students, but the UChicago-affiliated founder(s) should lead the application and presentation process.

The University Pitch Madness event is an opportunity for universities in the Midwest to showcase their most talented student entrepreneurs. This involves a trade show format where four undergraduate teams from each school showcase their business ideas.
 

Application Deadline: June 20, 2025 at 3 p.m. CDT

Event Information

Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2025 

Time: 3:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Location: Holtschneider Performance Center, 2330 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Agenda:

3:00 pm Registration

3:00 pm Participant voting via QR code for favorite team from each school

5:40 pm Voting closes

5:50 pm Finalists from each university announced

6:00 pm Program begins 

7:00 pm Keynote Speaker 

7:25 pm Winners announced

7:30 pm Networking and Program Closing

Eligibility

Teams must be selected by a participating institution. This application will determine which four startups are selected for Team UChicago.

Each team/company must fulfill the following criteria:

○ Less than $50,000 in revenue.

○ Less than $50,000 in investment.

○ Not incorporated for more than three years as of July 15, 2025.

○ Teams do not need to be incorporated to enter the competition and will have 90

days after the competition to incorporate in order to accept prize money.

○ Non-profit and for-profit businesses are eligible, however the criteria will be the

same for all.

○ All presenting students must be currently enrolled undergraduate students at a

participating institution within the past 6 months.

○ The presenting students must have a majority ownership of the business they

are presenting. In other words, the students cannot be employees or agents of a

company for which they are not founders.

○ Presenting teams can consist of not more than two (2) undergraduate students.

The actual company may have more team members, but no more than two can

present in the competition.

Judging Criteria

Teams will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Idea/Concept Has the team presented a relevant problem (market need)? Does their

idea solve that problem?

2. Market Need Does the pitch answer the need in a market place? Does the pitch show

that the idea/innovation is necessary?

3. Value Proposition Has the team shown why their idea has value and that their

innovation is the best suited for solving the market need?

4. Feasibility Has the team shown that their idea/innovation can simply be

implemented/used by their target consumer?

5. Sustainability How will the venture sustain itself financially in order to achieve its

mission?

6. Passion and Presentation Did the team confidently deliver a clear, concise message,

presented in a professional manner?

Each judge will complete a rubric (Google Forms doc) after each team is presented, and those scores will be compiled to determine the top teams. There will not be a judge's deliberation, as the total scores will determine the winners.

Competition Format

• The selected teams will showcase or demo their startup in a tradeshow format.
• One team will be selected as a finalist, and will have the opportunity to pitch for a share of cash prizes.
• Pitches must be limited to 3 minutes.
• Teams must pitch live and may use PowerPoint slides.