Hofstra University students with ideas for businesses can compete for funding and receive mentorship and training at the 2016 Hofstra/CPXi Venture Challenge.
The event is open to all Hofstra students, with separate divisions for graduate and undergraduate students, according to a press release from the school. A total of $50,000 in funding will be awarded.
“This competition is an extraordinary opportunity for our students to get real-world experience about how to take an idea from the classroom to the boardroom,” said President Stuart Rabinowitz. “This initiative, led by Hofstra’s Center for Entrepreneurship will help make the university a magnet for the region’s young entrepreneurs.”
Presenting the event with the Center for Entrepreneurship is the digital media holding company CPXi, which has roots at Hofstra. CEO Mike Seiman launched CPXi in 2000 while he was a student at the university.
“We are thrilled to once again be partnering with Hofstra to discover and develop tomorrow’s brightest entrepreneurs,” Seiman said. “The ability to give back to the community that played such a large role in my success is immensely gratifying on a personal level and exemplifies a core value that I have instilled in the CPXi family. I am looking forward to seeing how these great young minds leverage this opportunity.”
The one-day Venture Challenge Competition is set for April 21. The Hofstra/CPXi Venture Challenge will also include an accelerator program by the Center for Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs-in-residence will help students learn about ideation, customer validation, development of a business model and formation of the product pitch.
The deadline for Hofstra students to apply for the challenge is Feb. 19. Learn more about the event on its FAQ page.