Strakosch Venture Competition
About the program · 3 linked sources
The Strakosch Venture Competition is Boston College's annual student pitch competition, hosted by Start@Shea and the Shea Center. Total prize pool of $20,000: first place $10,000, second place $5,000, third place $3,000, crowd favorite $2,000. 55+ applicants in 2025, 8-10 finalists pitch to a panel of judges. Equity-free funding. Notable winners include Emma Mooney '28 (2025, To The Trade), Zarah Lakhani '24 (2023, Vitaliti), and Alejandro Linares '26 (2026).
Also known as: Strakosch, BC Strakosch
How we know this: the figures on this page come from the linked sources (last verified 2026-06-25); what those sources do not state is left unknown.
Key numbers
Funding range
$10,000
Equity
None
Application
Annual
Campus Wide
Last activity
2026-06-25
High confidence
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Reminders
Strakosch Venture Competition
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Student experiences · Read or add a note
Student notes
Strakosch Venture Competition
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Known startups and winners
Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.
JO by Juliana
$5,000
prize won
Boston College
2025 Boston College Strakosch Venture Competition 2nd place ($5K; Juliana Owen '25).
To The Trade
$10,000
prize won
Boston College
2025 Boston College Strakosch Venture Competition 1st place ($10K; Emma Mooney '28).
Vitaliti
1st place
placement
Boston College
2023 Boston College Strakosch Venture Competition 1st place (Zarah Lakhani '24).
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Strakosch Venture Competition at Boston College.
3 sources
Boston College
Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship
--- title: "Edmund H. Shea Jr. Center for Entrepreneurship" source_url: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/carroll-school/sites/shea-center.html capture_date: 2026-06-25 source_type: web --- Central hub for entrepreneurship at Boston College. Located in Carroll School of Management at 245 Beacon Street, Room 202. Founded 2015 through gift from Mary Shea and six children honoring Edmund H. Shea Jr. Senior Associate Director: Kelsey Renda '12, M.B.A. '18. Supports 1,000+ students annually through 30+ events per semester. 7 student-focused programs. Offers entrepreneurship co-concentration, co-curricular activities, experiential learning, faculty research, and alumni/parent engagement. Supports four student organizations: Start@Shea, WIN, ESI, VCPE. Signature course: Tech Trek.
Read on Boston College
Boston College
Start@Shea
--- title: "Start@Shea" source_url: https://www.startatshea.com capture_date: 2026-06-25 source_type: web --- Student leadership team under Shea Center. "Helping you make your ideas happen." Runs events, workshops, venture competitions (Strakosch), and community-building for BC entrepreneurs. Student executive board of 20-25 students across class years and disciplines. Reports to Kelsey Renda, senior associate director. Active Instagram presence (@startatshea) and website. Runs Accelerate@Shea and Strakosch Venture Competition.
Read on Boston College
Boston College
Strakosch Venture Competition
--- title: "Strakosch Venture Competition" source_url: https://www.startatshea.com/strakosch capture_date: 2026-06-25 source_type: web --- Annual pitch competition. $20,000 total prize pool. 2026 finals April 23 at 245 Beacon Street, Room 107. 10 teams pitch. Winners: 1st Place Alejandro Linares '26, 2nd Place Gabriel Forthofer, 3rd Place André Assunção '28 & Grant Drinkwater '28, Crowd Favorite Ben Bartley '28, Sophia Gregory '25, John Giglia '26. 2025: 55+ applicants, 8 finalists, Winner Emma Mooney '28 ($10K), 2nd Juliana Owen '25 ($5K), 3rd & Crowd Favorite Drake Cote '28 & Dominic Landry '28 ($3K+$2K). 2024: 1st Caroline Driscoll '27, 2nd Bo Brainerd '25, 3rd Advaith Vadlakonda '25 & Kyle Radimer '25. 2023: 1st Vitaliti (
Read on Boston College