2022 Startup Challenge
Sponsored by The Beckendorf Family Center
The UIW H-E-B School of Business and Administration (HEBSBA) is excited to announce the 2022 Startup Challenge and Business Opportunity Assessment Certificate, sponsored by The Beckendorf Family Center for Innovation and Global Entrepreneurship. The challenge is open to all UIW students – both undergraduate and graduate – regardless of major or program of study, as well as some faculty and staff. Registration is now open and closes on Sept. 9.
“Anyone can become an entrepreneur,” said Dr. Teresa Harrison, associate professor of Management and co-director of The Center. “Although these courses and the competition are housed in the H-E-B School of Business and Administration, we encourage collaboration with all schools across campus. Because creating a startup is a collaborative experience, we require teams of two to five individuals to sign up for the competition. It is important to develop professional networks.”
HEBSBA has been hosting a business plan competition since 2009, originally started by Dr. Jose Moreno, department chair and professor of Finance, as well as co-director of The Center. In 2017, Dr. Segun Oyedele, associate professor of International Business and the third co-director, helped the event evolve into the current Startup Challenge competition.
In addition to all the traditional Startup Challenge elements, this semester is also a pilot for the Business Opportunity Assessment Certificate. This certificate provides students a common vocabulary and expectation for developing their startup. It is awarded to participants who successfully complete the three workshops and submit a 12-page executive 
summary/business plan.
The Center’s sponsorship allows the Startup Competition to have continuity from semester to semester, noted Harrison. This is especially important because the prize money, up to approximately $13,000, is used as seed money for the winning team’s startup. But the Beckendorf’s sponsorship does much more for UIW than help the Startup Competition.
“The Beckendorf’s sponsorship of the competition brings visibility to The Center as well as to our H-E-B business school offerings such as Startups Across Borders and collaborations with our UIW campuses in Mexico,” added Harrison. “We are also able to form cross-collaborations with faculty in other schools across campus such as health professions (nursing and physical therapy) and MSE.”
For more information or questions about the Startup Competition or The Beckendorf Family Center for Innovation and Global Entrepreneurship, contact one of the co-directors: Dr. Segun Oyedele ( Oyedele@uiwtx.edu), Dr. Jose Moreno ( jfmoreno@uiwtx.edu), or Dr. Teresa Harrison ( teresa.harrison@uiwtx.edu) or visit the below websites.
The Beckendorf Family Center for Innovation and Global Entrepreneurship