About this programme
The Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC) is run by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship at Rice University. It bills itself as awarding more than $1 million in investment and cash prizes each year, and is open to student-founded startup teams from colleges and universities anywhere in the world, not just Rice.
The competition is structured as a multi-day event with several distinct stages and prize tracks: an Elevator Pitch Competition, Round 1 pitches, a Semi-Final or Wildcard round depending on how a team places, and an Awards Banquet, alongside a large set of sponsor-funded category prizes for specific sectors like energy, cleantech, deep tech, medical devices, and women-led teams.
How it works
Every competing team is guaranteed at least $950 to $1,000 in cash, based on its placement in the Wildcard round; teams that don't advance out of the Semi-Final round instead receive $1,250 to $2,000 based on flight placement.
The top overall placements carry the largest prizes: 1st place wins a $200,000 investment as a convertible note (sponsored by Goose Capital), 2nd place wins a $100,000 investment, 3rd place wins a $50,000 investment (both sponsored by Rice Alliance/Finger Interests), and 4th through 7th place each receive a $5,000 non-dilutive cash prize from sponsors including Norton Rose Fulbright, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell.
On top of the overall placements, dozens of sector- and theme-specific prizes are available from individual sponsors, ranging from $25,000 to $100,000-plus in cash or investment. Examples include the OWL Investment Prize ($100,000-plus, deep tech), the Aramco Innovator Prize ($40,000, energy/cleantech/hard tech), the Pediatric Device Prize (up to $25,000, for FDA medical devices with a pediatric indication), Houston Angel Network ($100,000), TiE Angels Texas ($100,000), two Pearland EDC Spirit of Entrepreneurship prizes ($25,000 each), and prizes targeted at women-led teams (nCourage, $25,000) and AI/industrial/sustainability teams (non sibi ventures RAVA, $25,000). Some prizes are in-kind, such as a TMC Innovation Medical Device Labs bootcamp with up to $250,000 in potential follow-on investment, and Baker Botts legal services ($15,000 for the grand prize winner, $10,000 each for remaining finalists).
There are also standalone side competitions: the Mercury Elevator Pitch competition, worth $3,500 total ($1,000 for first place plus $500 sector runner-up prizes), and the Company Showcase, where attendees vote for five $1,000 prizes during a networking reception.
Teams must participate fully across the event to claim prizes, meaning the Elevator Pitch Competition, Round 1 pitches, the Semi-Final or Wildcard round, and the Awards Banquet.
Cash prizes are distributed through Rice University's payments portal and require W-9 or W-8BEN tax documentation; they typically take up to three months to arrive after the team registers for payment, and are taxable income with taxes withheld. Investment and in-kind prizes work differently: the sponsor contacts the winning team within two weeks, but finalizing the investment can take weeks or months, is subject to due diligence and possible term negotiation, and the team must show progress by October 31 of that year or the sponsor has no obligation to complete the award. Companies do not need to be incorporated to submit an application, but investment prizes typically require a capitalization table, incorporation documents (often Delaware incorporation), and technology agreements before closing.
Who can apply
A competing team needs at least two current student founders or management team members, and at least one of them must be a current graduate degree-seeking student. The venture must be student-driven, student-created, and/or student-managed.
Students can come from a college or university anywhere in the world; the competition is not limited to Rice-affiliated teams.
The startup must have raised no more than $250,000 in equity before July 1 of the competition year, and revenue cannot have exceeded $100,000 in any single 12-month period before that date.
The team must be seeking funding or capital, or expect to be within the next 12 months, and the business must represent a potentially viable investment opportunity.
How to apply
- Wait for the application portal to open (for the 2027 competition, applications opened November 9, 2026 at 8:00 AM CST).
- Submit the application by the deadline (for 2027, January 29, 2027 at 11:59 PM CST) through the RBPC application portal.
- Watch for notification of selected teams (for 2027, February 16, 2027).
- If selected, confirm participation by the final confirmation deadline (for 2027, February 22, 2027).
Frequently asked
Do I need to be a Rice University student to compete?
No. Teams can come from a college or university anywhere in the world; at least one team member must be a current graduate degree-seeking student, and at least two team members total.
Is there a minimum prize every competing team is guaranteed?
Yes, every competing team wins at least $950 to $1,000, based on placement in the Wildcard round, or $1,250 to $2,000 if they place in the Semi-Final round instead.
How much has my startup raised before, and does that disqualify me?
The startup must not have raised more than $250,000 in equity, and revenue must not have exceeded $100,000 in any single 12-month period, both measured before July 1 of the competition year.
When do I actually get the investment prize money?
Cash prizes go out within about three months through Rice's payments portal. Investment prizes take longer: the sponsor contacts the winner within two weeks, but closing can take weeks or months, subject to due diligence, and the team must show progress by October 31 of that year or the sponsor is not obligated to complete the investment.
Do I need to be incorporated to apply?
No, companies do not need to be incorporated to submit an application, though investment prizes typically require incorporation documents (often in Delaware), a capitalization table, and technology agreements before the investment closes.
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Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.