The Edward K. Aldag, Jr. Student Business Plan Competition is the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute's annual student pitch competition. The AEI programs page says over $100,000 in total prizes, including a $50,000 grand prize, is available to UA students. The competition page lists April 7-9, 2027 and says registration is open.

The 2026 guidelines PDF says a team must include at least one student in a substantial role such as executive or co-founder, that this student must be currently enrolled at UA or have graduated within the past 12 months, and that the idea must be primarily student-led. A team may enter only one of the institute's spring competitions. Previous grand-prize winners cannot enter again with the same idea.