Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
About the program · 1 linked sources
The Bill Gross Prize funds Caltech's business-plan competition. Students submit a plan for a product, process, or a new use of an existing technology. Finalists are assigned mentors and give a five-minute pitch.
Also known as: Bill Gross Business Plan Competition
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.
Key numbers
Funding range
$30,000
Equity
Varies by investment
Application
Annual
Campus Wide
Last activity
2026-04-16
High confidence
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Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
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Application and Timing
The calendar lists the third annual competition on April 16, 2026, and an application close at midnight on January 20, 2026. The prize page says 2026-27 dates will be announced in October 2026 and that applications are closed until then.
Participants
Current, full-time, matriculated, degree-seeking Caltech undergraduate and graduate students. Visiting students may join a team that includes a degree-seeking Caltech student. Recent alumni from June 2026 onward and students from other schools may join if the team lead is a current Caltech student. Individuals or teams may apply. There is no formal team-size cap. Suggested size is 1-5.
Funding and Equity
Three winners split $60,000: $30,000, $20,000, and $10,000. Paid to a company, the award is a SAFE at an 80% discounted rate (20% discount) with no valuation cap, and Caltech pays incorporation costs. Paid to individuals, the team divides the cash and owes income tax on it. The recorded maximum is the first-place award. Equity depends on which payout option the winners choose.
Recent Activity
The April 16, 2026 final is on the university calendar. The prize page was live on October 8, 2026, with the next cycle not yet dated.
Known Startups or Winners
The calendar says more than 70 submissions were cut to 10 finalists. Neither the prize page nor the calendar names the 2026 winners.
Research gaps & things to verify
Verification Gaps
2026 winner names are not on the captured official pages. A later giving story was not used for a winner name.
Additional research notesShow
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship at California Institute of Technology.
1 source
Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
The prize page and the April 16, 2026 calendar entry describe the competition and the SAFE option.
Read on California Institute of Technology