Springboard Ideas Challenge is back and offering another chance for aspiring entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams.

The challenge, which primarily reaches business students, is open to any full-time student with hopes of one day starting their own business. It targets a wide range of people within 19 different counties of the Big Country region with both its student and community competition levels.

Aubrey Kunkel, (’12) from San Antonio, serves as the assistant director for the student programs for the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy.

“We want everyone to be involved as an entrepreneur. Anyone can be an entrepreneur, anyone can have a business idea,” Kunkel said. “It doesn’t have to be someone that’s working in business because business ideas have such a great span through many different industries.”

Each participant is first required to submit a written mini-business plan detailing the basic information of the envisioned business.  Then, participants will be chosen to move on to the next phase, a presentation in front of the judges’ panel. Winners are selected and announced at a separate award dinner, where they create a live exhibit for their business plan.

Early admission costs $10 and ends March 6. After that, regular admission is $20 per submission and closes on March 27. Participants can register online and then pay at the competition, by mail, or delivery.

All ideas must be submitted for review by April 3. The live judging part of the competition will take place in the Hunter Welcome Center on April 20. On April 23, the awards dinner in the Hunter Welcome Center will serve as a fun ending to the challenge.

Cash prizes are awarded to winners of the competition. The college level has three different categories for a participant to win, including the grand prize, 2nd prize, 3rd prize, and value award. Whereas the community competition has a grand prize, 2nd prize, 3rd prize, values award, and small biz award.

M.C. Jennings, recruiter and marketing manager for the College of Business, has watched many students rise up to the challenge.

“When people partake in an opportunity like this it makes them much more marketable to employers,” Jennings said. “It’s a great chance to jump in with both feet, gain learning experience and build up a resume.”

More information about the competition and requirements is located at www.acu.edu/springboard-ideas-challenge. Anyone with further questions can email griggscenter@acu.edu.