Spring 2024
Start Smart Legal Series – Various Dates, Zoom
The Start Smart series hosts various seminars and workshops throughout the semester that cover a wide range of legal topics for startup businesses. During each event, you will be able to learn from K&L Gates’s startup lawyers and gain valuable insight on how to legally start/run your startup.
Various registration deadlines throughout Spring 2024
LEARN MORE & REGISTER for upcoming sessions
Big Idea Blitz | Feb. 2 & 3 (Opening Weekend/Bootcamp), Feb. 9 (Practice Pitch Day)
As part of this spring’s Blitz, your team will participate in a 24-hour+ workshop with Big Idea Center staff and entrepreneurs in residence. The workshop will include 1-on-1 coaching, practice pitch rounds, and feedback. After one week of concentrated work, your team will return for practice pitches in front of a group of guest judges!
Application deadline: January 28, 11:59 P.M.
Learn More & Apply to Big Idea Blitz
*NEW!* ChangeMaker Series | Various Dates
The Big Idea Center’s new ChangeMaker Series is an opportunity for any Pitt student at any level to step in and learn about the concepts, disciplines and frameworks underpinning innovative and entrepreneurial action. During the series, you will meet and hear from individuals who have created their own opportunities to be the change they want to see in the world.
Start your journey to becoming a changemaker with the Big Idea Center ChangeMaker Series, an inspiring 5-session masterclass program being offered for the first time during the Spring 2024 semester – featuring a number of changemakers who began their journey as students here at Pitt.
Registration deadline: February 1, 11:59 P.M.
Learn More & Register for the ChangeMaker Series
Big Idea Competition | Feb. – Apr. 2024
This competition is an experience-based learning opportunity for Pitt students and postdocs with big ideas who enjoy working in diverse teams to bring those ideas to life. It is open to all Pitt undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs across all schools and departments. This competition spans February through April of each year and awards monetary prizes to students with the most startup potential, including a grand prize of $25,000! Since its inception in 2009 (formerly known as the Randall Family Big Idea Competition), the competition has attracted hundreds of interdisciplinary teams seeking to bring their Big Ideas to market.
Application deadline: February 11, 11:59 P.M.
Learn More & Apply to the Big Idea Competition