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Be Your Own Boss Bowl (BYOBB)
Also known as: BYOBB
Temple University · Philadelphia, PA
Temple's flagship annual business plan competition started in 1997. Now in its 28th year (2026), BYOBB offers over $100,000 in cash prizes and in-kind services. Two tracks: Undergraduate and Upper (graduate students, alumni, faculty, staff). Participants attend workshops, work with mentors, and pitch to judges.
Quick fit check
- Offers direct funding
- No equity required
- Currently active
- Verified by research
Key numbers
Funding range
$500 – $40,000
Grant, Prize
Equity
None
Application
Annual
Campus Wide
Last activity
2026-04-15
High confidence
Application and Timing
Annual cycle: registration opens fall, mentor matching January, applications due March, live pitch event April.
Participants
Open to all Temple students, alumni, faculty, and staff from all 17 schools. Teams of up to 4 members. Team leader must be Temple-affiliated. For-profit and social impact businesses eligible.
Funding and Equity
$100K+ total prize package. $10K per track winner, $40K grand prize. Additional category awards (Digital Innovation, Global Innovation, etc.). Non-diluted seed funding. No equity taken. Finalists must incorporate and complete 5 mentor meetings within 6 months to receive funding.
Recent Activity
- 2026 (Apr 15): 28th annual BYOBB — largest in-person audience since COVID. SourceFill (UG), Phyll (Grand Prize).
- 2025: 27th annual BYOBB — AAWE Grand Prize. Full winner lists for both tracks.
- 2024: 26th annual BYOBB — The Light Providers Grand Prize.
Known startups and winners
Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.
AAWE
Grand prize
placement
Temple University
AI-Aware Writing Environment. 2025 Temple BYOBB Grand Prize winner by Megan Kane and Stephen Malkowicz.
Phyll
$40,000
prize won
Temple University
Infrastructure intelligence app. 2026 Temple BYOBB Grand Prize winner ($40K + $10K) by Ethan Berg (FOX '20).
Historical winners (research notes)
- Phyll — 2026 Grand Prize ($40K + $10K) — infrastructure intelligence app.
- SourceFill — 2026 UG winner ($10K) — supply chain platform.
- AAWE — 2025 Grand Prize — AI-Aware Writing Environment.
- BARRICADE — 2025 UG 1st — earplug concept.
- The Light Providers — 2024 Grand Prize.
- Accessum LLC — 2023 Grand Prize.
- Agora World — 2022 Grand Prize.
- Kiese Technologies — 2021 Grand Prize.
- Healthy RFP — 2020 Grand Prize.
Verification Gaps
- Total number of ventures launched through BYOBB since 1997 not compiled.
- Post-competition success metrics not tracked centrally.
Additional research notesShow
Evidence
- Official BYOBB page with 27th/28th year details, eligibility, and full winner histories.[1]
- Temple Now article on 28th BYOBB winners.[2]
- Research report.[3]
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Be Your Own Boss Bowl (BYOBB) at Temple University.
3 sources
Temple Now (Temple University)
2026 BYOBB 28th Annual Winners Coverage
Temple Now article (Apr 22, 2026) covering 28th annual BYOBB held Apr 15, 2026. Largest in-person audience since COVID. Documents winners: SourceFill (UG), Phyll (Upper/Grand Prize), Mor (People's Choice). $100K+ prizes, $10K per track winner, $40K grand prize.
Read on Temple Now (Temple University)
27th Annual Be Your Own Boss Bowl Official Page
Fox School of Business, Temple University
Fox School of Business, Temple University
27th Annual Be Your Own Boss Bowl Official Page
Official BYOBB page for the 27th annual competition. Documents eligibility, prize structure ($100K+ total), two tracks (UG/Upper), full winner lists for 27th (2025) and previous years back to 2020. No equity taken; non-diluted seed funding.
Read on Fox School of Business, Temple University
IEI Competitions Official Page
Fox School of Business, Temple University
Fox School of Business, Temple University
IEI Competitions Official Page
Official IEI competitions page listing three main programs: Ideas & Impact Challenge (workshops + pitch with innovative/social impact tracks), Be Your Own Boss Bowl (flagship annual business plan competition), and Innovative Idea Competition (early-stage idea). Also links to 1810 Accelerator and other IEI offerings.
Read on Fox School of Business, Temple University