Embedded Files
Join the audience for this year's Finals event!
Tuesday, April 14
5:30-8:30PM
UIC's Student Center East - Illinois Room
UIC's AnnuAL Campus-WIDE Pitch Competition
UIC's AnnuAL Campus-WIDE Pitch Competition
The Blaze Venture Challenge gives UIC students the chance to share their ideas, tell their story, and compete for prizes — with support every step of the way.
The Blaze Venture Challenge is a campus-wide pitch competition that celebrates student creativity, effort, and progress. It provides a structured opportunity to present your idea, get meaningful feedback, and gain confidence sharing your work with others.
Who Participates
Who Participates
The Blaze Venture Challenge is open to UIC undergraduate and graduate students from across campus at different stages of venture development. Participants may:
Be building on ideas explored in Spark Series Labs
Have showcased their ideas at Demo Day
Be pitching an idea they’ve been developing independently
All students are welcome, regardless of major or prior experience. All venture types are welcome, from side hustles to high-growth startups, for-profit and non-profit.
What Participants Do
What Participants Do
During the Blaze Venture Challenge, students:
Register for participation by April 1, 2026
Semifinal Pitch Video Entry: Prepare and submit a 5-minute pitch video by April 8, 2026
Finals Event: The top-eight semifinalists are invited to pitch at the live, Finals event (5:30-8:30PM on April 14, 2026) in front of a live audience, including a panel of distinguished judges for over $10,000 in prizes. (RSVP to join the audience for the Finals Event)
Why the Blaze Venture Challenge Matters
Why the Blaze Venture Challenge Matters
The Blaze Venture Challenge helps students:
Turn real experimentation and opportunity validation into a clear and compelling story
Practice sharing their ideas with confidence
Gain feedback from experienced mentors and judges
Take a meaningful next step in their entrepreneurial journey
Page updated
Report abuse