The wait is almost over… the 10th Annual Cupid’s Cup business competition and Startup Showcase will be held this Wednesday, April 22 at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The Smith School of Business will host the competition in partnership with competition Chairman Kevin Plank ’96, founder & CEO of Under Armour.
There’s more than $115K in prizes on the line, and the finalists have been selected from some of the top student entrepreneurs in the world.
As if you needed more incentive to be there, check out these 10 reasons to make sure you attend this signature #30DaysUMD event:
- Strength of competition. The judges are going to have a tough time choosing winner from this diverse pool of finalists. For the first time, there will be three female finalists pitching their businesses: Rajvi Mehta, founder of Gudness Bar from Duke University School of Medicine; Kristen McClellan, founder of SnappyScreen from Cornell University; and Kristina Tsipouras, founder of ZOOS Greek Iced Teas from Stetson University.
- Hear from Under Armour Founder & CEO, Kevin Plank. A graduate of the class of ‘96, Kevin Plank is one of UMD’s most accomplished entrepreneurs, having created his company Under Armour and successfully scaling it to a global brand. Attend to hear entrepreneurial insights straight from Kevin.
- Daymond John. Karen Katz. Mike Lee. Ted Leonsis. These successful entrepreneurs will be the judges for the event. You won’t want to miss a chance to hear directly from this all-star crew.
- Meet student entrepreneurs at the Startup Showcase. Text-to-vote for your favorite Terp startups and network with competition partners such as Under Armour and New Day USA. Don’t forget to stop by the Dingman Center to share your new venture ideas.
- Support the UMD Cupid’s Cup finalist. Obidi Orakwusi, founder of GymSupreme, is a Terp alum and finalist this year with his fitness start-up that designs patented fitness products, including the Mega Bar, to help individuals stay consistent with their health goals.
Obidi Orakwusi, Founder, GymSupreme
- Free Under Armour T-Shirts. The first registrants to arrive will receive a free Cupid’s Cup Under Armour t-shirt to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the competition. Snap a selfie in your new shirt at the photo booth. Share using #CupidsCup.
- Navigate the Startup Showcase with the Cupid’s Cup Passport. Students will receive the Cupid’s Cup Passport to help learn more about exhibitors at the Startup Showcase. Make sure you make note of your favorites — attendees will be able to text to vote for the five coolest startups. Each winner will receive $2,000 in cash prizes!
- Cast your vote to help award cash prizes. Attendees at the Startup Showcase will be able to text to vote for the Five Coolest Startups. The top five companies with the most votes will each win $2,000 from BB&T! Later at the final competition, the audience will text to vote again, but this time for their favorite finalist, who will win a $5,000 prize.
- Munch on free snacks before the show starts. Those who attend the Startup Showcase will not only have the chance to see some awesome startups, they’ll also receive some serious snacks before the big event. Worried about missing dinner? Chik-fil-A will be posted outside.
- Enter a raffle for free Under Armour products. Two lucky students will each win a GIANT bag of Under Armour swag, live during the final competition. You must be present to win so make sure you are in your seat at showtime!
Be there on April 22nd! For more event details visit www.cupidscup.umd.edu.
