The Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy is hosting the annal Springboard contest which will run from Sep. 2017 to May 2018.

The goal is to give students the opportunity to win a certain amount of money that will help them start up their business idea. Over the past years many aspiring entrepreneurs got the chance to submit their business ideas, and to see their creations come to life.

On the website it states:

“Over the past decade Springboard has awarded over a half a million dollars to aspiring entrepreneurs and served as a way to connect, train and encourage regional startups.”

The Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy was launched in 2011 and has given several students the opportunities to show off their ideas. On the Springboard website there is a track named ACU Campus for undergraduate students to get involved with the contest, with a prize amount of $10,000.

“Teams will participate in elevator pitch competition in the fall semester and compete for $10,000 in seed funding through a 3-credit course in the spring semester.” 

Springboard has a track called ‘BE in Abilene’, that will help young companies grow in Abilene, with a prize amount of $250,000. The deadline to enter this track is Oct. 31.

Two students won two weeks ago from their idea of making a more durable pocket case for cellphones.

Seth Stone, a sophomore accounting and finance major from San Angelo, and Josh Hargett, a junior marketing and management major from San Angelo. The prize amount for their business pitch was $100 that was split between Hargett and Stone.

Hargett and Stone are looking in to selling their product at the ACU campus store. Hargett said they are in the process of making prototypes using the 3-D printer.

Students interested in the competition can find more information on the ACU Springboard website, springboard@acu.edu or Karen Heflin, Springboard program coordinator, at karen.heflin@acu.edu.