RBPC 2024 Hosted by Rice Alliance
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Rice Business Plan Competition

Applications for the 2025 RBPC open November 1!

Check the FAQ to find out more!

Showcasing The Best University Startups from Around the US and the World

The competition, having completed its 24th year, gives collegiate entrepreneurs real-world experience to pitch their startups, enhance their business strategy and learn what it takes to launch a successful company. Hosted and organized by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship—which is Rice University's internationally-recognized initiative devoted to the support of entrepreneurship—and Rice Business. Over 23 years it has grown from nine teams competing for $10,000 in prize money in 2001, to 42 teams from around the world competing for more than $1 million in cash and prizes. It is the largest and richest student startup competition in the world.

 

Get ready for RBPC 2025--April 10-12!

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Shaping the future!

Protein Pints
Results

Congrats to the winners

nCourage Prize Winners
$1+ Million

Read About the Prizes

Power 2 Polymers
Re-Watch the Livestream

Watch 2024 Elevator Pitches and Final Round

Check out the 2024 Competition Details

Funding. Mentorship. Connections.

$6.1+B

Billion In funding raised by startups

288

Still in business or with successful exits 

59

Exits

5,500+

Jobs created

Explore the Rice Business Plan Competition

Get Involved

  • Explore The Judge Network
  • Learn more about the $1.5 million in prizes
  • Hear about successful RBPC competitors
  • Meet our alumni—the 2022 Competitors

Explore the Rice Business Plan Competition

Get Involved

Explore The Judge Network

The RBPC is unique in its stature, size, format, participants—and especially, our judges. RBPC judges act as (and often are) early-stage investors, evaluating startups investment potential.

Learn More About Judging

Learn more about the $1.5 million in prizes

In total, more than $1.3 million in investment, cash and in-kind prizes was awarded to the teams at the 2020 Rice Business Plan Competition—with seven teams winning $100,000 or more in prizes. 

Check Out the Prizes

Hear about successful RBPC competitors

From our first startup going public to IPOs, grants and more than $4.6 in funding, our startups are progressing and achieving success. 

Read about our featured alumni

Meet our alumni—the 2022 Competitors

The 2022 competition provided the mentorship, guidance and access to capital that RBPC is known for and brought everyone back together on campus at Rice University! Check out the startups for the 2022 competition. 

See the 42 Startups and Who Won

Featured Sponsors

The Owl
Mercury Fund
Houston Angel Network
Finger Interests, LTD.
Anderson Family Fund, Greg Novak, Tracy Druce
SWPDC
poetic|
TiE Houston
Baker Botts
Norton Rose Fulbright
Wells Fargo
Greater Houston Partnership