Rohrer New Venture Competition & Expo

Program Type

pitch-competition

Institutional Scope

Rowan University. Open to Rowan students (all majors) + recent alumni (12 months).

Description

Annual April pitch competition with accompanying expo. $50,000 total prize pool. Over $200,000 awarded cumulatively since inception. Top prize: $25,000 RIVF convertible note + $5,000 non-dilutive seed funding + automatic AccelerateRU acceptance + $15,000 media production package. Expo features 45+ startups competing for a $7,000 pool (top prize $3,000). 65+ industry judges. 4-phase structure with mandatory workshops. Sponsored by RIVF, OceanFirst Bank, 15M Media, South Jersey Gas.

Key Details

Detail	Value
Total pool	$50,000
1st Place	$25K RIVF note + $5K seed + $15K media + AccelerateRU
2nd Place	$3,500
3rd Place	$1,500
Expo pool	$7,000 ($3K, $1.5K, $750, $500, $250)
Cumulative	$200K+ awarded
Judges	65+ industry leaders and alumni
Phase 1	Intent to Compete (StartupTree)
Phase 2	4 mandatory workshops
Phase 3	Semi-Finals (video pitch + business plan)
Phase 4	Finals (live presentation + Q&A)

Resources Provided

Cash prizes (non-dilutive)
RIVF convertible note ($25K, subject to criteria)
AccelerateRU acceptance
Media production (15M Media)
Mentorship and workshops
Expo booth space

Funding Details

$50K total non-dilutive prize pool + $25K convertible note (equity-based through RIVF).

Curriculum / Structure

4-phase: Intent → Workshops → Semi-Finals (5 finalists selected) → Live Finals.

Eligibility

Rowan students (full-time or part-time) or alumni within 12 months of graduation. Maximum 5 per team.

Rohrer New Venture Competition & Expo

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