thinkBIG! CHALLENGE

An online business plan competition open to all high school students in Northeast Ohio, offering $8,000 in prizes. Semifinalists are invited to attend an Executive Coaching Day and receive guidance from entrepreneurial professionals in the Cleveland business community. The Final 4 teams will compete live at the thinkBIG! Summit 2022 in March.

Review thinkBIG! Challenge & Summit Rules, Eligibility & Terms

Download Challenge Documents

Submit a thinkBIG! Challenge Entry

Covid-19 Mask Information for Events

The Veale Foundation will adhere to each venue’s individual mask mandates for events held at their locations in accordance with the CDC’s current Recommendations for Indoor and Outdoor Settings. Notification of current Covid-19 masking policies for venues will be shared with event participants in our event communications prior to the event and at sign-in tables. Please email us at programs@VealeFound.org with any questions.

Funding for travel to programs may be available to non-Forum schools. Please contact us at programs@vealefound.org for more information.

Deadline for entries

Wednesday, December 29, 2021 Online

Semifinalists announced

Monday, January 10, 2022 Online

Executive Coaching Days

Friday, January 21 or Saturday, January 22, 2022

Finalists’ live pitch competition

March 1, 2022

How it Works

Round 1: Idea Development & Written Submission Round

  • Teams (comprised of 1 to 4 members) will submit an Executive Summary that explores and develops ideas for business ventures in one of two tracks: Innovation or Small Business.
  • Small business ideas should be able to be realistically started by high school students with under $10,000.
  • The Executive Summary should be no more than 5 pages in length and must describe the concept and outline the problem, the solution, customers, the competition, assets needed, challenges, and financial feasibility.

Deadline for Round 1 Submission: Wednesday, December 29, 2021 (Online)

Semifinalists Proceeding to Round 2 Announced: January 10, 2022

Round 2: Video and Slide Deck Submission Round

Semifinalist teams compete in Round 2 to become a Final Four Challenge team. A slide deck and 60-90 second pitch video will be required for judging.

Round 3: Live Pitch at thinkBIG! Summit

The Final Four teams will present live in front of judges and attendees at the thinkBIG! Summit on March 1, 2022. Two teams from each track will compete for the cash prizes.

Please download required challenge documents for both tracks here:

Small Business Executive Summary Guidelines
Small Business Rubric
Innovation Executive Summary Guidelines
Innovation Rubric
Download a sample of a Small Business Executive Summary:
Small Business Executive Summary

Prizes

Offering $8,000 in prizes!

Two winning teams will receive $3,000 per team.

Each 2nd place team wins $1,000 per team.

Each Final Four team member also receives Veale Innovator Medals.

For the School Sponsoring the Grand Prize Team a Traveling Veale Innovation Cup Trophy is presented.

Areas of Focus:

Networking, Entrepreneurial Mindset, Design thinking, Validation, Sales and Operations, Online Marketing, Finance and Accounting, Effective Communication, Collaboration, Public Speaking

Please view all rules, eligibility, terms, and conditions for the 2021-2022 thinkBIG! Challenge and Summit here:

Rules, Eligibility, Terms and Conditions
2021-2022 thinkBIG! Challenge Round 1: Executive Summary Submission
This name will become your official Team Name. You will need it in subsequent rounds, should your idea advance. (Example: Team Locateria: Farm Fresh Cafeteria Food for All)
Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 4 files.
• Please upload your Executive Summary. Maximum 5 pages.(Max 32 MB: .pdf, .doc, .docx format)* Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx. • If applicable, you may upload up to three images (sketches, diagrams, prototype photos, etc.) that showcase your business or innovation. Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, jpeg.
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