Registration deadline: November 27, 2016 | Register here
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Submission deadline: January 15, 2017
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Prizes: 1st place: A total award of USD 10,000,- and a Microsoft Surface 3 and Type Cover for each member of the team.
2nd place: A total award of USD 6,500,-
3rd place: A total award of USD 3,500,-

Diamond Challenge 2017

The Diamond Challenge provides a unique opportunity for teens to learn about entrepreneurship while putting their ideas into action. While many entrepreneurship programs focus on principles of small business management, the Diamond Challenge focuses on unleashing creativity, encouraging a mindset of abundance and self-determination, and promoting purposeful entrepreneurial action.

Participants gain valuable first-hand experience with:

• Conceiving an idea for a new business or social venture
• Testing the idea by talking to potential customers and gathering evidence to validate the viability of their business or social impact model
• Pitching their idea by submitting a written concept and presenting to a panel of judges

Participants also benefit from:

• Innovative video-based lessons focused on how to develop ideas, put them into action, and build businesses and social ventures like a scientist
• Mentors and team advisors who provide valuable feedback while participants maintain responsibility for final decision-making
• Opportunities to earn college credit, interact with other student entrepreneurs from around the world and win funding awards to support their business, social venture or education

How it works

Participants work in teams of 2-4 to recognize an opportunity, conceive of a new model for a business or social venture, pursue the opportunity, and validate the model by “building a venture like a scientist.”

A state-of-the-art curriculum focused on how to practice evidence-based entrepreneurship guides these activities and also offers advice for preparing the competition’s two deliverables: a written concept and a pitch.

Participation is easy!

Students from around the world are eligible to participate if they:

• are enrolled in a secondary school or educational program;
  have a team of 2-4 students
• have a teacher, parent or community member who is willing to serve as the team’s advisor

Register your team today and indicate whether you will be competing in the Business Concept or Social Venture competition, and whether you will be pitching in person at one of our sites or submitting a video pitch in one of the virtual tracks.

• Follow the curriculum videos, which walk you through the basics of how to develop and test your ideas and put together a great written submission and pitch.
• Engage with potential customers as well as your team advisor and competition mentors to gain feedback and refine your idea.
• Submit your written concept and video pitch (if applicable) by the deadline. Written submissions may be no more than 5 pages.
• Deliver a pitch. Both in-person and video pitches may be no more than 5 minutes in length.

Choose a competition

The Diamond Challenge encourages students to put their ideas into action by participating in one of two competition tracks: Business Concept and Social Venture. Students can compete by pitching in person at one of our sites or by submitting a video pitch online.

Business Concept

If the primary purpose is to solve a customer problem that by doing so will generate revenue and profit, then the business concept competition is right for you.

Social Venture

If the primary purpose is to solve a social problem and make a positive impact on people or the environment, then the social venture competition is right for you.

Prizes

All semifinalist teams will receive $1,000 prize awards and an invitation to travel to the University of Delaware to compete in the semifinal and final rounds for one of the business concept competition’s top prizes. Top prizes include additional funding that may be used to support the team’s venture or as scholarships for higher education.

1st place

A total award of $10,000 AND a Microsoft Surface 3 and Type Cover for each member of the team. This includes the semifinalist award and any travel support awarded.

2nd place

A total award of $6,500. This includes the semifinalist award and any travel support awarded.

3rd place

A total award of $3,500. This includes the semifinalist award and any travel support awarded.

For more business and career opportunities, check our opportunities section and subscribe to our weekly newsletters.