McCloskey New Venture Competition
About the program
Forbes-recognized business plan competition with 25+ year history at Notre Dame. Open to all students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Features $100K+ in cash prizes with 160+ entries and 16 semifinalists annually. The 26th annual competition was held in 2026.
Also known as: McCloskey Competition
Key numbers
Funding range
Not listed
Funding available
Equity
None
Application
Annual
Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni · Institution Wide
Last activity
2026-07-13
Active
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Reminders
McCloskey New Venture Competition
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McCloskey New Venture Competition · McCloskey New Venture Competition Round 1 deadline · Nov 8, 2026
Student experiences · Read or add a note
Student notes
McCloskey New Venture Competition
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Startups
Accedar Salud
2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition People's Choice Award ($2,500).
Anaphero
2026 McCloskey Best Graduate Student-Led Venture ($10K) and Overcoming Adversity Award; wearable device detecting early signs of allergic reactions in children (Tiarnan O'Rourke, E
Azam Health
2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Community Impact Award winner.
Geddit
2026 McCloskey Best Undergraduate Student-Led Venture ($10K); digital addressing for homes and businesses across Africa (Akhente Borotho).
Lantern Network
2026 McCloskey Defense Tech Prize ($5K); advanced passive sensors that detect and track drone activity in real time (Joseph Pugsley).
Nullpoint
2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Most Innovative Venture winner.
Petrine Properties
2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Catholic Mission Award winner.
RETRN Bioworks
2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition Grand Prize ($50K) plus Wray-O'Brien Innovation Prize ($5K) and Marmon Most Innovative Venture Prize ($10K); biopolymers from agro-industrial
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News & articles
University of Notre Dame
McCloskey New Venture Competition 2026 Winners
The 2026 McCloskey New Venture Competition (26th annual) closed at Notre Dame's DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on April 24, 2026. Five finalists competed for $100K+ in prizes. RETRN Bioworks won the $50,000 Grand Prize (plus the Wray-O'Brien Innovation Prize and Most Innovative Venture – Marmon Prize).
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IDEA Center
IDEA Center homepage — central hub for Notre Dame entrepreneurship and innovation.
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