Blaze Venture Challenge
About the program · 1 linked sources
The Blaze Venture Challenge is UIC's campus-wide pitch competition for early-stage, student-led ventures, run by UIC Innovation with UIC Business. It is the spring culmination of Spark Series.
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
$5,000
Equity
Unknown
Application
Annual
Campus Wide
Last activity
2026-04-14
High confidence
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Reminders
Blaze Venture Challenge
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Student experiences · Read or add a note
Student notes
Blaze Venture Challenge
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Application and Timing
The 2026 finals were April 14 at Student Center East. A March 2026 Innovation Center post said registration was due April 1 and pitch videos April 8.
Participants
UIC student guidelines say any UIC student may present an idea. A 2023 Office of Technology Management notice for the earlier Innovation Pitch Challenge said teams needed at least 50 percent current UIC students. The 2026 story describes a student competition across seven colleges.
Funding and Equity
UIC Today says 2026 top honors carried prizes worth up to $5,000. Equity terms are not stated. Guidelines say eligibility can be affected if prior-year revenue or outside equity capital exceeded $50,000, excluding Phase I SBIR/STTR grants.
Recent Activity
The fourth annual finals drew 31 venture ideas from nearly 80 students. Eight teams pitched live.
Known Startups or Winners
The 2026 story does not name the winning ventures.
Research gaps & things to verify
Verification Gaps
Place-by-place prize amounts, equity terms, and winner names are not in the captured story.
Program details
Blaze Venture Challenge
The Blaze Venture Challenge is UIC's campus-wide pitch competition for early-stage, student-led ventures, run by UIC Innovation with UIC Business. It is the spring culmination of Spark Series.
Additional research notesShow
Evidence
Official page: https://today.uic.edu/student-ventures-take-center-stage-at-uics-2026-blaze-venture-challenge/
- 2026 was the fourth annual Blaze Venture Challenge.
- Prizes were worth up to $5,000.
- 31 ideas were submitted and eight teams pitched at the finals.
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Blaze Venture Challenge at University of Illinois Chicago.
1 source
