To enter or to find out more about Happy Valley Ventures, please visit smealventurepartners.com.Happy Valley Ventures (HVV) will be hosting its second annual pitch contest with student-run start-ups competing for $3,500 in prizes. The live final event is open to the public and is intended to provide students the opportunity to learn more about the inner-workings of the venture capital industry.
The deadline to enter is March 18!Winners will receive prize money provided by the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation & Entrepreneurship along with consideration for follow-up early stage investment.
The contest, which is open to all student-run start-ups from the Penn State community, has three rounds. In the first round, start-ups enter the contest by filling out the form on the
HVV website. HVV Investment Committee members will then select up to 25 teams to move on to the second round.
In the second round, each start-up team will meet with members of the HVV Investment Committee for a feedback and due diligence discussion. The start-ups will then have the opportunity to refine their business models and pitch decks. The entire HVV Investment Committee will evaluate the updated pitches and select five teams to compete in the third and final round.
At the culminating event on April 2, the competitors will pitch their startups to a panel of venture capital professionals and experienced entrepreneurs. Prizes of $2,500 and $1,000 will be awarded to the first place team and runner-up, respectively. All five start-ups will receive feedback from the industry professionals to help them reach new milestones in growing their businesses. This event is open to the public and all are welcome to stop by for all, or a portion, of the pitches.
Additional information regarding last year’s event can be found
here.
