CREATE Opportunity

How it works

Pitch us your idea for a chance to receive up to $25,000 in funding.

Any idea can be a great one. Whether you’ve got an idea on a napkin, a business plan, or already have a startup in the works, we want to help fund your idea and grow it into the next successful venture. No equity, no strings attached – just cash.

Don’t over-think it, just do it!

Rules for Submission

• Final Cutoff: All CREATE submissions for the Spring 2023 semester must be received no later than Friday, April 14, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.
• Video Upload Format: Submissions are required to be uploaded to YouTube. Other formats will not be considered, resulting in disqualification from considerations for the Spring 2023 funding cycle.
• Pitch Video Length: All submitted pitch videos must be no longer than five minutes long. Any content after the five-minute mark will not be considered in the evaluation of the venture.
• Commercial Venture: All submissions must be a commercializable venture.
• Pitch Structure: While there is no formal structure requirement, students are advised to follow the CREATE Evaluation Rubric.

The Process

Pitch Video – Students must submit a five minute pitch video via YouTube including:

• The problem you are solving
• The solution
• The competition
• Why you are better/different
• The size of the market
• Any validation you have done
• How much money you need to make it happen!

All TCU student submissions meeting the requisite criteria will receive feedback on their pitch, whether or not their team is selected to move forward.

Top Ten – After all first-round submissions have been reviewed, the top ten teams will be announced. These teams will move forward to an in-person pitch where they will present their venture to a panel of judges. Finalist pitches will consist of a presentation that is no longer than seven minutes in length, followed by a three minute Q&A conducted by the judges.

Deadline: Friday, April 14, 2023.

Questions? Email us at create@tcu.edu or call us at 817-257-6544.

You MUST be a TCU student to apply.

Spring 2023 Application