Social Venture Challenge
About the program · 1 linked sources
The Social Venture Challenge is SDSU's annual pitch competition for student solutions to a social theme. ZIP Launchpad hosts a training track. The 2027 theme on the page is Nourish the Future.
Also known as: SDSU Social Venture Challenge
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
$15,000
Equity
Varies by investment
Application
Annual
Regional
Last activity
2026-03-13
High confidence
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Reminders
Social Venture Challenge
Get an email before a director-verified deadline for this program, this school, or this state. The program never sees your address.
Social Venture Challenge · Nov 11, 2026 · Unverified
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Social Venture Challenge
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Application and Timing
SDSU applications for 2027 are open September 11 through November 11, 2026. The page says the competition is in spring 2027, on April 22.
Participants
Current degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students at SDSU, in teams of 2-4, plus students from invited Southern California colleges. SDSU members must be enrolled in both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. Ventures with more than $10,000 in revenue or $50,000 in funding or grants are not eligible. A team may not reuse an idea that already won a cash prize in this competition.
Funding and Equity
The 2027 page says $35,000 in cash prizes will be awarded and that each team's prize must be split equally. It does not publish the 2027 place amounts. The March 25, 2026 news story says the 2026 grand prize was $15,000. The recorded maximum is that documented single prize. Equity terms are not stated.
Recent Activity
The 2026 competition was held March 13, 2026. The 2027 application window was listed on the page observed October 8, 2026.
Known Startups or Winners
2026 grand prize: FPI Labs from Cal Poly Pomona, $15,000. SDSU third place: Free Food Box, $4,000. SDSU Social Impact Award: Neviva, $3,000. AuraScan from Cal State Long Beach is named as a top-three team. The story says six teams shared $35,000.
Research gaps & things to verify
Verification Gaps
The 2027 per-place amounts are not published. The $15,000 figure is the 2026 grand prize.
Additional research notesShow
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Social Venture Challenge at San Diego State University.
1 source
