14 Business Plan Competitions for High School Students with Cash Prizes
If you are interested in entrepreneurship, participating in business plan competitions can be one of the most effective ways to test your ideas, gain feedback from industry professionals, and earn recognition for your work. Many of the best business plan competitions for high school students with cash prizes are free to enter and welcome participants from around the world.
What do business plan competitions involve?
These competitions challenge you to develop solutions to real-world problems while strengthening your research, communication, financial planning, and leadership skills. Many programs also offer virtual participation options, making them accessible regardless of where you live, and most involve submitting a written plan, a video pitch, or both before advancing through judging rounds.
Why pursue a business plan competition in high school?
Even if you do not win, being selected as a finalist or semifinalist can strengthen your college applications and demonstrate initiative beyond the classroom. Business competitions often provide tangible outcomes, including prize money, mentorship, networking opportunities, and exposure to investors or university faculty.
This guide highlights 14 business plan competitions for high school students with cash prizes. If you're exploring entrepreneurial opportunities, check out our guides on startup tips for young entrepreneurs and business competitions for high school students.
Quick Look
Highest prize pools: the Mott Million Dollar Challenge ($1,000,000 total) and the Tim Draper High School Utah Entrepreneur Challenge (up to $30,000).
7 free-to-enter competitions: Mott Million Dollar Challenge, Diamond Challenge, Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition, FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge, and WSI Impact League, among others.
2 state-restricted competitions: the Tim Draper Challenge (Utah residents only) and BIG Idea Competition (South Dakota).
3 competitions built around video pitches rather than written plans: the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, Stevens High School AI Video Pitch Competition, and Verge Challenge.
Technovation Girls is the only competition on this list open specifically to girls, requiring teams to build an app or AI-based solution alongside a market strategy.
14 Business Plan Competitions for High School Students with Cash Prizes
1. Tim Draper High School Utah Entrepreneur Challenge
Location: Tim Draper High School, Salt Lake City, UT
Stipend: Up to $30,000 in prizes and scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified (competitive; top teams advance to finals)
Dates: Applications open September 10
Application Deadline: February 19
Eligibility: High school students (ages 14–18) in Utah
The Tim Draper High School Utah Entrepreneur Challenge is a statewide startup competition designed for high school students interested in entrepreneurship. You work in teams to develop a business idea, refine your pitch, and compete against peers from across Utah. The competition includes multiple stages such as application review, judging rounds, and a final showcase event where top teams present to industry professionals. Throughout the process, you gain exposure to real-world business concepts like market validation, product development, and storytelling. Finalists compete for a share of $30,000 in prizes and scholarships, along with valuable feedback from experienced entrepreneurs.
2. YEScarolina State Business Plan Competition
Location: Columbia, SC
Stipend: Seed funding awards from $100 to $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50–60 students at the state competition (qualification required)
Dates: Currently rolling
Application Deadline: May 8
Eligibility: Middle and high school students enrolled in entrepreneurship classes
The YEScarolina State Business Plan Competition is a multi-stage entrepreneurship program that begins within your school and culminates in a statewide event. You develop a business plan over the course of your entrepreneurship class and present it to local judges, with top performers advancing to the state level. At the final competition, around 50–60 students participate in multiple rounds, presenting their ideas to business professionals. The process emphasizes practical skills such as business planning, pitching, and responding to feedback.
3. BIG Idea Competition
Location: South Dakota
Stipend: Nearly $55,000 in cash prizes and scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Competition cycle begins September 1
Application Deadline: October 28
Eligibility: High school students
The BIG Idea Competition is a statewide entrepreneurship competition where you develop and present a business idea aimed at solving real-world problems. You focus on identifying issues in your community or broader society and proposing solutions through a viable business concept. The competition emphasizes creative thinking, encouraging you to explore how technology and innovation can improve everyday life. Participants submit and refine their ideas, with top entries advancing through judging rounds. Finalists compete for a share of nearly $55,000 in prizes and scholarships.
4. Mott Million Dollar Challenge
Location: Flint, MI
Stipend: $1,000,000 total prize pool
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Top 60 finalists selected from nationwide submissions; 1,000+ prizes awarded in early rounds
Dates: Submission period ends March 8
Application Deadline: March 8
Eligibility: K–12 students (up to age 18)
The Mott Million Dollar Challenge is a national pitch competition where you submit a short video presenting a business idea or solution to a community problem. In the first round, you create a 30–90-second pitch explaining your idea and its impact, with no advanced tools or experience required. Top submissions receive cash prizes, and selected participants advance through multiple stages of judging. The top 60 finalists are invited to Flint, Michigan, where they receive coaching to refine their ideas and present them in a live competition. While this contest relies on a short video submission rather than a formal written document, the format strictly tests a founder's ability to concisely articulate a venture's core value proposition.
5. INCubatoredu National Student Pitch Event
Location: Online
Cost: Up to $20,000 in startup funding
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly reported
Dates: Varies annually
Application Deadline: Varies by program and nomination timeline
Eligibility: Recommended for high school students in grades 10–12 who have completed or are participating in the INCubatoredu program
The INCubatoredu National Student Pitch Event is a national entrepreneurship competition where you can present a business idea through multiple stages, including recorded pitch submissions, promotional videos, and a live virtual Q&A with entrepreneurs and investors. The competition emphasizes skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and business development, while giving you experience refining and defending a venture idea. Teams present to judges and a live virtual audience, with evaluation based on the strength of the business concept and pitch execution.
6. Stevens High School Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video Pitch Competition
Location: Online
Cost: 1st place: $500; 2nd place: $250; 3rd place: $100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly reported
Dates: Video submissions due January 15; finalists announced February 15
Application Deadline: January 7
Eligibility: Open to current high school students in grades 9–11, including public, private, and homeschool students; individual submissions only
The Stevens High School Entrepreneurship and AI Video Pitch Competition is a virtual competition where you develop a two-minute video pitch presenting a problem, an AI-powered solution, and the business case behind your idea. Your submission is evaluated on innovation, AI application, business impact, feasibility, and presentation quality. The competition gives you experience thinking through entrepreneurship concepts such as market need, scalability, and value proposition while also explaining how artificial intelligence fits into a product or service.
7. Diamond Challenge
Location: Online
Cost: Free to enter; prize funding up to $12,000 for first place, $8,000 for second place, and $4,500 for third place in both business and social innovation tracks; additional topical prizes available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; advancing teams selected through submission and pitching rounds
Dates: Submission window opens September 17; submission deadline January 15; advancing teams notified February 10; finalists announced March 9; Limitless World Summit April 23 – 24
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Teams of 2 - 4 high school students ages 14 - 18
The Diamond Challenge is a global entrepreneurship competition for high school students interested in developing business or social innovation ideas. You compete in teams by submitting an original venture concept, with the option to participate via live pitch events or a recorded virtual pitch. The competition includes multiple rounds, mentorship opportunities, feedback from judges, and access to entrepreneurship resources. Teams can compete for significant prize funding while gaining experience in innovation, problem-solving, and pitching. Topical prizes also recognize work in areas such as sustainability, technology, and human well-being.
8. Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition
Location: Online
Cost: No entry fee; cash prizes available for winners and prize opportunities for participating schools
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open-entry competition; 23,000+ participants from 173 countries in 2026
Dates: Annual competition cycle; registration typically opens in fall, with submissions and judging taking place over several months (check current cycle for exact dates)
Application Deadline: Varies by competition year
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; you may compete individually or in teams of up to five students
The Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition is a virtual pitch competition where high school students develop and present original business ideas based on the Blue Ocean Strategy framework. You can participate either solo or as part of a team by creating a 5-minute video pitch and submitting it online for judging. The competition provides templates, evaluation criteria, and learning resources to help you refine your idea before submission. You receive feedback from entrepreneurs and business professionals as you build skills in innovation, communication, and venture development. Because the competition is fully virtual, it is accessible regardless of location and does not require you to have an existing startup to compete.
9. Verge Challenge
Location: Online
Cost: No application fee stated; cash prizes include $10,000 for first place, with a total prize pool of $17,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; top concepts advance from Round 1 to Round 2, with three final cash prize winners selected
Dates: Applications open April 1; competition held in multiple rounds following submission and judging
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; no prior business experience or launched product required
Verge Challenge is an online pitch competition for high school students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. You begin by submitting a 400–800-word written concept describing a problem, your proposed solution, target customer, and business model. Selected participants advance to a second round, in which they record a video pitch for the judges. Finalists compete for cash prizes and receive recognition for their ideas. The competition is designed for students at the idea stage, so you do not need an existing startup or prior entrepreneurial background to participate.
10. FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge
Location: Virtual (online simulation competition)
Cost/Stipend: Free to participate; National Championship awards include $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; qualifying teams advance to the National Championship Round
Dates: Registration begins September 30, Round One runs October 14 – November 7; Round Two runs February 2 – 27; National Championship Round runs March 30 – April 3
Application Deadline: Registration opens September 30; each competition round has separate submission deadlines
Eligibility: FCCLA members in high school; teams may participate in one or both rounds and compete in Personal Finance or Fashion simulations
The FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge is an online competition in which you use business simulation software to make decisions and manage scenarios in areas such as personal finance and fashion management. Teams compete in timed rounds by optimizing their performance within the simulation, with top-performing teams eligible to advance to a National Championship Round. Because teams can submit multiple scores and improve based on their best results, the competition emphasizes strategy, iteration, and decision-making. You build experience with business concepts while practicing analytical thinking and problem-solving in a competitive format.
11. Project ECHO Teen Entrepreneurs’ Business Plan Competition
Location: California State University, Dominguez Hills, CA
Cost: No registration fee stated; cash startup funding awards ranging from $250 to $2,000 for winning teams
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: May 31
Application Deadline: Not specified (check program registration timeline for updates)
Eligibility: High school students under age 19 may participate through a school class or club
Project ECHO’s Teen Entrepreneurs’ Business Plan Competition is a pitch competition in which high school students develop written business plans and present their ventures to a panel of judges. The competition simulates the process of seeking startup funding, combining evaluation of both the written plan and live presentation. You typically complete the Launching ECHO entrepreneurship curriculum before competing and receive guidance through onboarding and informational sessions. Teams compete across different categories and can earn seed funding to support their ventures or future education expenses.
12. INNOSpark Competition
Location: Online
Stipend: No entry fee stated; $11,600 in total prizes, including $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; top 15 finalists selected from applicants; competition notes participation of 800 entrepreneurs and students
Dates: Applications open March 1; submission deadline April 4; finalists announced April 11; live pitch event April 18
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; open to pitches for businesses, nonprofits, or passion projects
INNOSpark is a virtual pitch competition for high school students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. You apply by developing and pitching a business, nonprofit, or impact-focused project, with selected applicants advancing to a live final pitch event. Finalists compete for cash prizes and additional company perks, such as access to tools or subscriptions. The competition provides an opportunity to practice pitching, refine an idea, and gain exposure in a global student-entrepreneurship setting. It can help you build experience in communicating venture ideas and competing in a structured pitch competition.
13. Technovation Girls Competition
Location: Online
Stipend: The 3 Grand Prize-winning teams will receive $750/person stipends, and the remaining 12 Finalist teams will receive $500/person stipends.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 15 Regional Honoree teams and 15 finalist teams selected in semifinals;
Dates: January 26 - March 18 (Registration deadline)
Application Deadline: March 18; April 20 (project submission)
Eligibility: Open to girls ages 8–18; high school students may compete in eligible age divisions as part of a team
The Technovation Girls Competition is a global technology and entrepreneurship competition where you work in a team to develop a project, often involving an app or AI-based solution, designed to address a real-world problem. Over the season, you build your project using the program curriculum and submit it for multiple rounds of judging, including quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Teams are evaluated competitively, and selected finalists advance to pitch at the Technovation World Summit. While the challenge primarily serves as a software development challenge rather than a pure business competition, teams are still required to develop a detailed market strategy for launching their application. Top teams may receive awards or educational scholarships, and all participants gain experience developing and presenting an innovation project.
14. WSI Impact League
Location: Online
Stipend: 1st Place $1,500 per challenge category; 2nd Place $600 per challenge category; 3rd Place $300 per challenge category; People's Choice $500 (Top voted innovation)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Top 10 finalists per challenge category advance to the final round
Dates: September 9 – April 21
Application Deadline: December 12
Eligibility: Students ages 13–24 (individuals or teams)
The WSI Impact League is a global online innovation competition where you develop solutions to real-world challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. You begin by selecting a challenge, brainstorming ideas, and submitting your solution through an online platform. Submissions are evaluated based on creativity, feasibility, impact, and how well they address the chosen problem. Participants receive access to webinars, workshops, and mentorship sessions to support idea development throughout the competition. Top entries advance through judging rounds, with finalists submitting video pitches for final evaluation.
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build skills for business plan competitions, consider the Young Founders Lab!
If you want mentorship from successful entrepreneurs in building your business and learning business planning skills, the Young Founders Lab is one of the strongest programs you can join in high school. It’s a 100% virtual start-up boot camp run by Harvard entrepreneurs, designed specifically for students who want to launch a company or non-profit.
In this program, you’ll get hands-on mentorship from founders and professionals from Google, Microsoft, McKinsey, and YC-backed companies, while building a venture that solves a real-world problem. You will gain hands-on experience with concepts such as pricing, market research, unit economics, and financial decision-making, skills that directly connect economics to entrepreneurship.
Multiple cohorts run throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring, so you can join whenever it fits your schedule. Financial aid is available, and the program is open to all high school students, with no prior experience required.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which business plan competitions offer the highest cash prizes?
The Mott Million Dollar Challenge has the largest prize pool at $1,000,000 total, while the Tim Draper High School Utah Entrepreneur Challenge offers up to $30,000, though it's limited to Utah students.
2. Are there free business plan competitions open to students worldwide?
Yes. The Diamond Challenge, Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition, and WSI Impact League are all free to enter and open globally, with the Diamond Challenge offering prizes up to $12,000 for first place.
3. Is there a competition that doesn't require a formal written business plan?
The Mott Million Dollar Challenge only requires a 30 to 90-second video pitch in its first round, making it accessible if you're just starting to develop an idea. Programs like Young Founders Lab can help you refine that idea into something pitch-ready before you compete.