VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation to host Venture Creation Competition and Alumni Pitch Slam

By Cassie Williams Jones

Virginia Commonwealth University’s da Vinci Center, a collaboration of VCU's schools of the Arts, Business and Engineering and the College of Humanities and Sciences, is hosting both the second Venture Creation Competition (VCC), a business plan competition aimed at sparking the entrepreneurial spirit of all VCU students, and the inaugural Alumni Pitch Slam, a business pitch competition for VCU alumni.

The VCC is being held as part of VCU’s Student Research Week, a series of events that bring together undergraduate and graduate students from across disciplines to celebrate research and creative and scholarly projects.

For the competition, 35 student teams previously submitted ideas, concepts and/or technologies for a business venture. Ten student teams – five undergraduate and five graduate – have been selected as finalists and will have the opportunity to present their concept and/or business venture to a panel of judges.

The VCC event will take place on Friday, April 26, in Snead Hall, 301 W. Main St., Room B3189, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. A reception will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the School of Business’ Atrium on the first floor of Snead Hall, followed by the awards ceremony at 5 p.m.  

The finalists in both divisions are competing for cash prizes that can be used to further the commercialization of their concepts, inventions and/or business ideas. In addition to the prize money, in-kind services, including free legal and mentoring services, will be offered to competition winners.

In addition, the VCU da Vinci Center with the VCU Alumni Association and the VCU Business Alumni Society present the inaugural Alumni Pitch Slam, a chance for alumni to present a compelling business idea or venture to a panel of judges.

Ten pre-selected alumni teams will deliver two-minute presentations. A winner will be selected by the judges and audience and will win a cash prize.

The event will take place on Thursday, April 25, at the Hippodrome Theater, 528 N. 2nd St., from 6 to 9 p.m. The event is open to the public.

The VCC is sponsored by Health Diagnostics Laboratory along with the VCU Office of the Vice President of Research, VCU School of Business, MeadWestvaco Foundation and Altria Client Services. For more information about the competition, visit http://www.davincicenter.vcu.edu/programs/vcc/.

For more information on the Alumni Pitch Slam, visit http://www.davincicenter.vcu.edu/news-more/events/.