Are you ready to start something?

All Iowa State students are invited to participate in the 2026 Business Model Canvas Competition! This is a fantastic opportunity to present innovative business ideas using a concise, one-page Business Model Canvas for a chance to cash prizes.

1st place team: $1,000
2nd place team: $500
3rd place team: $250

The amount will be split among the team members.

Application instructions

To apply, student teams should send an email to malindas@iastate.edu with the subject line: BMC Competition Application – [Team Name].

Please include the following in the body of the email or as attachments:

1. Team name.
2. Full names and email addresses of all team members (1-4 members per team). Individuals are welcome to apply!
3. A short summary of your business idea (3-5 sentences). Briefly explain the problem you’re solving, your proposed solution, and your target customer.
4. A completed Business Model Canvas, submitted as a PDF or an image (you may use the Strategyzer template below or another clear format).

Don’t worry if your idea or canvas isn’t perfect — this competition is about learning, improving, and showing how well you can think through the model.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, March 31 by 11:59 p.m.

In early April, you will be notified if your team has advanced to the presentation round, scheduled for April 7. Finalists will have five minutes to present their Business Model Canvas to a panel of judges, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session.

For more information about the competition, contact Malinda Shultice.

Workshop opportunity

To help students prepare, there will be a Business Model Canvas Workshop on March 24 from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. in 2446 Gerdin. This hands-on session will guide participants in refining their ideas and creating a compelling one-page business vision board.

Resources

https://www.strategyzer.com/canvas/business-model-canvas
https://canvanizer.com/downloads/business_model_canvas_poster.pdf

Competition timeline

March 24: Business Model Canvas workshop (3:30-5:00 p.m. in 2446 Gerdin).
March 31: Deadline to submit application (by 11:59 p.m. Central Time).
Early April: Finalists notified and schedule of presentations sent.
April 7: Business Model Canvas presentations (3:00-5:00 p.m. in 2446 Gerdin).