Competitions

Sharpen your competitive edge

At Kellogg, we recognize that business competitions provide a highly valuable and rigorous learning experience, regardless of whether your career goals include launching a business, growing an enterprise or designing a corporate innovation initiative.

Competitions allow you to gain feedback from customers and industry experts, the ability to expand your network, hone your pitch, receive non-dilutive startup funding and test your innovative ideas early and often.

They also give you the chance to win funding — something that Kellogg students have an incredible track record of accomplishing. Learn more about some of our recent students’ successes on our Highlights page.

Beating the odds

A team of Kellogg students took home 11 awards and nearly $200,000 at business competitions for their medical-device startup, Innoblative.

Apply for funding

To help manage the competition costs, Kellogg invites students to apply for this special funding:

Entrepreneurship at Kellogg

The Entrepreneurship at Kellogg Travel Funding Program helps cover travel expenses, such as economy airfare, hotel accommodations, ground transportation, and registration fees for entrepreneurship competitions and conferences related to a Kellogg student’s project or venture. The maximum reimbursement amount per person will be determined by the geographic region of the event and available funding, and a maximum of two students per team can be reimbursed for each competition or conference.

To be eligible for reimbursement, a student must request approval from the Entrepreneurship at Kellogg staff at least two weeks in advance of the travel. If applying for funding for a competition, students must also schedule a coaching session from an Entrepreneurship faculty member prior to the competition date. Students will be required to complete a feedback survey about their participation in the competition or conference before their reimbursement will be processed.

To request approval, please fill out this form with all required information and a member of the Entrepreneurship at Kellogg team will review your request. If you have any questions about the program or your eligibility, please email kiei@kellogg.northwestern.edu.

Heizer Center

The Heizer Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital may provide reimbursement to students participating in private equity and venture capital competitions. Contact the Heizer Center at heizer@kellogg.northwestern.edu for more information.

Social Impact

Project Impact helps cover travel expenses to business plan competitions with a focus on promoting a sustainable positive impact on people and/or the planet. Learn more about opportunities and resources at Kellogg for travel to business plan competitions that promote social impact.

Business Competitions at Kellogg and Northwestern University

Please contact us kiei@kellogg.northwestern.edu for more information.

Corporate Innovation

Kellogg Business Design Challenge Fall Quarter / Open to Kellogg students only Sponsored by Kellogg’s Innovation and Design Association (IDEA), this annual competition invites students to apply design thinking to a real-world business challenge. In previous years, 3M’s Scotch Brand, McDonald’s Sustainability Group and Hyatt’s Gold Passport Loyalty Program have participated as partners in the challenge. The competition is ideal for students who are interested in working in corporate innovation after graduation.
Corporate Innovation Challenges Ongoing throughout the year Kellogg partners with many corporate innovation departments who are interested in working with students on specific challenges. These challenges can last a few days or up to two quarters. Recent corporate partners have included Allstate, U.S. Cellular, Bosch, Gallo Wines, and Visa. To learn more, contact the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative via kiei@kellogg.northwestern.edu.

Kellogg Business Design Challenge

Fall Quarter / Open to Kellogg students only

Sponsored by Kellogg’s Innovation and Design Association (IDEA), this annual competition invites students to apply design thinking to a real-world business challenge. In previous years, 3M’s Scotch Brand, McDonald’s Sustainability Group and Hyatt’s Gold Passport Loyalty Program have participated as partners in the challenge. The competition is ideal for students who are interested in working in corporate innovation after graduation.

Corporate Innovation Challenges

Ongoing throughout the year

Kellogg partners with many corporate innovation departments who are interested in working with students on specific challenges. These challenges can last a few days or up to two quarters. Recent corporate partners have included Allstate, U.S. Cellular, Bosch, Gallo Wines, and Visa. To learn more, contact the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative via kiei@kellogg.northwestern.edu.

Entrepreneurship

Kellogg Venture Challenge Winter Quarter Sponsored by the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Kellogg Entrepreneur’s Organization (KEO), the Kellogg Venture Challenge gives students an opportunity to pitch their startup idea and gain valuable feedback from members of the startup and Kellogg School community. The competition offers $10,000 in prizes.
VentureCat Spring Quarter / Open to Northwestern students only VentureCat is a showcase and celebration of Northwestern’s most promising student startups, culminates in a pitch competition that offers cash prizes, mentors, graphic design assistance for presentations, pitch prep and more for the semi-finalists. For this coming year, thanks to a generous gift from Larry and Carol Levy, there will be over $250,000 in cash prizes distributed to student ventures. VentureCat distinguishes itself from other competitions around the globe by organizing competitors in five industry-specific tracks, which leverages the rich expertise of distinct schools from across the University in both graduate and undergraduate programs.	Learn more
Kellogg Real Estate Venture Competition (KREVC) Spring Quarter / Open to graduate students only Hosted by KIEI and the Kellogg Real Estate Program, this team-based competition invites MBA students to pitch ideas for real estate ventures to a panel of high-profile judges. The winning team receives a cash prize and the opportunity to secure as much as $10 million in equity funding.	Learn more

Venture Capital & Private Equity

Kellogg Venture Capital Investment Challenge Winter Quarter / Open to Kellogg students only This internal competition is designed to help Kellogg students prepare to participate in the international Venture Capital Investment Challenge, Students must submit an application to the challenge. Those selected will receive mentorship, coaching and support from Kellogg faculty, KIEI and the Heizer Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital.	Learn more

Kellogg Venture Capital Investment Challenge

Winter Quarter / Open to Kellogg students only

This internal competition is designed to help Kellogg students prepare to participate in the international Venture Capital Investment Challenge, Students must submit an application to the challenge. Those selected will receive mentorship, coaching and support from Kellogg faculty, KIEI and the Heizer Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital.

Learn more

In addition to these NU- and Kellogg-sponsored competitions, KIEI supports the participation of MBA students in external competitions. For a list of recommended competitions, deadlines and opportunities for financial/mentorship support, contact kiei@kellogg.northwestern.edu.