Rotating Big Idea Center Offerings

Team & Idea Development

 

Big Idea Blitz | Fall & Spring

Join the Big Idea Center for a 24-hour+ experiential workshop opportunity created specifically for students to learn about how to apply key innovation and entrepreneurship concepts to current, new, or future ideas! this is your opportunity to not only advance your idea but also to pitch to third-party individuals in a mock competition setting BEFORE entering a high-stakes pitch environment where actual money is on the line!

Learn More


Kuzneski Innovation Cup | Fall

Compete in the Big Idea Center’s first major competition of the academic year for a chance to win part of the $25,000 prize pool. Gain valuable feedback, interact with competition sponsors, build skills to further advance your idea, and be ready to compete in the Big Idea Competition in the spring. This competition is designed specifically for Pitt-student-led teams with very early ideas that are just embarking on their idea-development journeys. If you are curious about whether this competition is right for you and your team, please reach out to a member of the Big Idea Center staff. Open to University of Pittsburgh Students in any major, freshmen to post-doc, who want to explore a new idea and kickstart their entrepreneurial journey.

Learn More


Big Idea Competition | Spring

This competition is an experience-based learning opportunity for Pitt students and postdocs with big ideas who enjoy working on interdisciplinary 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.

Learn More


Big Idea Advantage Fund — Ongoing

Our goal at the Big Idea Center is to provide students with the opportunity to take their ideas from concept to reality. We are thrilled to be able to take this mission one step further with the Big Idea Advantage Fund! This investment opportunity is geared towards students who have an advanced idea and are looking to take that idea to the next step towards startup creation and business growth.

LEARN MORE

Exploration & Skillbuilding

 

ChangeMaker Series | Fall & Spring

Do you want to make a difference in the work you do? What inspires you? What impact do you want to have on the world? Join us for the ChangeMaker Series – a 5-session, highly-interactive, masterclass program for students interested in exploring innovation and entrepreneurial concepts with the goal of seeing what change-making in action and its impact looks like across various disciplines and areas of interest.

Become a changemaker


Start Smart Legal Series | Fall & Spring

Navigating the legal system can be complicated and intimidating, especially for startup teams just getting started! Join us for a host of seminars and workshops throughout the semester that cover a wide range of legal topics for startup businesses. During each event, you will learn from K&L Gates’ startup lawyers and gain valuable insight on how to legally start and run your startup.

Learn More

Accelerator Opportunities

 

Blast Furnace – May through June 2025

The Blast Furnace is Pitt’s student accelerator providing access to a deep mentor network, inspirational co-working space, and a rich curriculum preparing student startups for creating and growing their businesses. In our accelerator program, students will dive deeper into customer discovery and gain a better understanding of their market and whether their idea is feasible.

Looking for info on past events?

Learn More