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Pitch CompetitionDirect fundingNo equityVerified

Fairfield StartUp Showcase

Also known as: Fairfield StartUp, Fairfield StartUp Competition

Fairfield University · Fairfield, CT

Year-long co-curricular entrepreneurship program culminating in a Shark Tank-style StartUp Showcase where student teams pitch ventures to investors for seed funding. Includes mentoring, coaching, and multiple events through the academic year. Students compete for approximately $50K in seed funding awarded across several prizes. Auditions typically in November with Showcase in April.

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Quick fit check

  • Offers direct funding
  • No equity required
  • Currently active
  • Verified by research

Key numbers

Funding range

Up to $50,000

Cash Award, Non Dilutive

Equity

None

Application

Annual

School Specific

Last activity

2026-05-01

High confidence

Application and Timing

Annual cycle. Auditions/sign-ups in November with Showcase in April. 2025 page lists Nov 16 auditions with sign-up deadline Nov 14.

Participants

Primarily undergraduate students, heavily business majors but open more broadly. 5-6 finalist teams per year in recent cohorts.

Funding and Equity

~$50K seed funding pool per year. Non-dilutive cash awards. No equity or SAFE instruments documented.

Recent Activity

  • May 2026: Leave It to Us and EviSyna win top honors at Showcase
  • 2025-2026: StartUp Showcase promoted with $50K pool at Quick Center
  • April 2024: Celebration of Student Entrepreneurship and Innovation event
  • Active 2024-2026 with consistent annual cycle

Known startups and winners

Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.

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EviSyna

$50,000

prize won

Fairfield University

Notable alumni outcome

Student venture and 2026 Fairfield StartUp Showcase top winner from the ~$50K seed funding pool.

Leave It to Us

$50,000

prize won

Fairfield University

Notable alumni outcome

Student venture and 2026 Fairfield StartUp Showcase top winner from the ~$50K seed funding pool.

Historical winners (research notes)

2026 winners: Leave It to Us and EviSyna (top honors). Past ventures include student teams competing for seed funding across multiple years.

Verification Gaps

  • Complete list of past winners (2019-2023) not aggregated
  • Post-graduation venture survival rates unknown
  • Exact prize breakdown not published
Additional research notesShow

Evidence

Fairfield University news article on 2026 Showcase winners.[1] CampusLabs event listing for 2024 celebration.[2] Research report with multiple source citations.[3]