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Mark Ain Business Model Competition
Also known as: Mark Ain Competition
University of Rochester · Rochester, NY
Fall semester business model competition established in 2007. Open to all UR students. Made possible by Mark S. Ain '67S (MBA), founder of Kronos Incorporated. Total prize pool of $13,500. Priority given to ventures that have not yet generated revenue. Students must be enrolled in the Ain Foundry Program to compete.
Quick fit check
- Offers direct funding
- No equity required
- Currently active
- Verified by research
Key numbers
Funding range
$0 – $13,500
Non Dilutive Grant
Equity
None
Application
Annual
Campus Wide
Last activity
2025-11-08
High confidence
Application and Timing
Annual fall cycle. Submission deadline November 1. Up to 5 finalists selected. Final pitch in Hoyt Auditorium.
Participants
All UR undergraduate and graduate students. Non-UR students may be on team but prize money reserved for UR students. Must NOT have generated revenue.
Funding and Equity
$13,500 total. Non-dilutive. No equity taken.
Recent Activity
- November 2025: Competition held with Scyntek (1st), VivoFlux (2nd), Convort (3rd).
- 2007-present: Continuous annual operation.
- 2026 cycle: Announced for fall 2026.
Known Startups or Winners
- Scyntek (Karthik Ramakrishnan) — 1st Place 2025.
- VivoFlux (Kaihua Chen, Isabelle Linares, Azmeer Sharipol) — 2nd Place 2025.
- Convort (Hashem Alomari) — 3rd Place 2025.
Verification Gaps
- Prize distribution breakdown (1st/2nd/3rd amounts not specified).
- Historical winners beyond 2025.
- Number of applicants per cycle.
Mark Ain Business Model Competition
Additional research notesShow
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Mark Ain Business Model Competition at University of Rochester.
1 source
Ain Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Official Pages
University of Rochester
University of Rochester
Ain Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Official Pages
Five captures: Ain Center home page, Forbes Competition page (2026 winners, prizes, schedule), Mark Ain Competition page ($13.5K, 2025 winners, revenue restriction), e5 Program page (tuition-free fifth year), and Ain Center student incubator at NextCorps.
Read on University of Rochester