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The University of Washington's Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the Foster School of Business runs undergraduate programs and three student competitions: the Dempsey Startup Competition, the Health Innovation Challenge, and the Environmental Innovation Challenge.
This page is compiled from public university and program pages. It has not been claimed or corrected by the school.
Include. UW is the state's flagship student-venture hub, with a current prize competition and a cross-campus undergraduate fellows program.
How we know this: the figures on this page come from the linked sources (last verified 2026-10-08); what those sources do not state is left unknown.
At a glance
Indexed programs
5
All currently active
Top direct funding
$25,000
Dempsey Startup Competition
Equity
Mixed equity terms
Program mix
3
Pitch Competition · Entrepreneurship Center · Fellowship
Programs to explore
Compare funding, equity, and timing before you apply.
5 programs indexed
Pitch Competition
Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge
Pitch CompetitionAlso: Environmental Innovation Challenge
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funding range
- Last activity
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- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Partially Verified
$25,000
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Partially Verified
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funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Partially Verified
Entrepreneurship Center
Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship CenterAlso: Arthur W. Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
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funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Partially Verified
Fellowship
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funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students
- Verification
- Partially Verified
From students
Be the first student from University of Washington to post a startup.
Post a startupFunding and Equity
The Dempsey page says the center has awarded more than $2.90 million to 250-plus student companies and that the 2026 BECU grand prize was $25,000. A Foster handout says Dempsey awards more than $90,000 annually. Prize totals for the health and environmental challenges were not on the competitions overview.
Recent Activity
The Dempsey page publishes 2026 winners and a schedule that opens the next screening round in April 2027, with applications due at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 5.
Known Startups and Winners
2026 Dempsey placements named on the official page include BioBead (BECU grand prize, $25,000), CPRight (second, $15,000), and Kinnex Health (third, $10,000), plus additional category prizes.
Research gaps & things to verify
Missing Information
Current purse for the Health Innovation Challenge and the Environmental Innovation Challenge, and Lavin cohort size.
News & articles
5 news articles and official sources documenting entrepreneurship programs, winners, and activity at University of Washington.
5 sources
Official sources(5)
University of Washington
Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship
The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the Foster School of Business is UW's student entrepreneurship center. The undergraduate page describes the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program, an entrepreneurship option, a business-plan practicum, and pathways into the center's competitions.
Read on University of Washington
University of Washington
Dempsey Startup Competition
The Dempsey Startup Competition, run by the Buerk Center, is a multi-stage new-venture competition. Teams need at least one student enrolled in a degree program at an accredited college in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia, or Alaska. The page says non-business students may enter. It reports 29 years of the competition, more than $2.90 million awarded to 250-plus student companies, and more than 7,900 student participants.
Read on University of Washington
Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge
University of Washington
University of Washington
Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge
The Buerk Center lists the Environmental Innovation Challenge as its cleantech and environmental student competition. The undergraduate page also refers to it as preparation linked to an environmental innovation practicum.
Read on University of Washington
University of Washington
Health Innovation Challenge
The Buerk Center competitions page says the Health Innovation Challenge is an annual student competition for healthcare innovation, alongside Dempsey and the Environmental Innovation Challenge. Students in the Cascadia corridor and Alaska may apply.
Read on University of Washington
University of Washington
Lavin Entrepreneurship Program
The Buerk Center describes the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program as a selective program for undergraduate entrepreneurs from all majors. It combines curriculum with experiential learning aimed at students who want to start ventures.
Read on University of Washington
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