Student Entrepreneurial Endeavors to be Showcased at Dec. 13 MSU Venture Pitch Competition

BOZEMAN — Hundreds of first-year students in Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship will showcase their entrepreneurial endeavors Monday, Dec. 13, during the college’s sixth annual venture pitch competition.

The event is free and open to the public and will be held from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. in the Strand Union Building Ballrooms. Approximately 500 students enrolled in a business and entrepreneurship seminar course are expected to participate.

The competition is the culminating event in the college’s first-year seminar, in which students hone their creativity, innovation and critical thinking skills by brainstorming an idea for an innovative product, developing a prototype and writing and presenting a feasibility plan.

During the competition, groups of students from each of the 26 sections of the class will display their ideas in a poster presentation. A panel of 12 local entrepreneurs will select three finalist teams to present their idea orally and will award prizes for best overall plan, best video promo, best written plan and best exhibit. Students will also vote on a students’ choice award.

The MSU Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship offers four undergraduate options of study — accounting, finance, management and marketing — as well as five minors — accounting, business administration, entrepreneurship and small business management, finance, and international business. It also offers a master of professional accountancy degree, a master of science in innovation and management, a business certificate and entrepreneurship certificate. More information is available at montana.edu/business.