Fall 2022
Big Idea Kickoff Week | September 12-16
Join the Big Idea Center for our first ever Kickoff week to celebrate the start of the 2022-2023 academic year and the opening of our brand new location! Throughout the week we will have activities for you to explore innovation and entrepreneurship and engage with students, alumni, and Pittsburgh entrepreneurs! No startup idea is required to participate. Stay tuned for event announcements by following us on social media! @pittbigidea on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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Grand Opening Celebration | September 16, 5:00 P.M.
Our Big Idea Kickoff week culminates with our Grand Opening Celebration! Join us as we showcase our community of student innovators and preview the upcoming year of Big Idea Center programming. You will have the opportunity to meet students and alumni who have “spun-out” of our center as well as representatives from Saxby’s Coffee and the University of Pittsburgh, including Chancellor Gallagher! Light refreshments will be served.
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Big Idea Blitz | September 23-24 (Workshop), September 30 (Final Presentations)
Reformatted for 2022! Our classic 24-hour competition has been reworked to provide even more mentorship and development opportunities for your idea. As part of this Fall’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 final presentations in front of a group of guest judges!
Application deadline: September 18, 5:00 P.M.
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Kuzneski Innovation Cup | October and November
Now in its second year with the Big Idea Center, The Kuzneski Innovation Cup is back and looking for NEW big ideas! Compete in the Big Idea Center’s first major competition of the year for a chance to win part of the $25,000 total prize pool!
Gain valuable feedback, build up the skills to further advance your idea, and be ready to compete in the 2023 Randall Family Big Idea Competition!
Application deadline: October 7, 11:59 P.M.
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Women Entrepreneurship Week 2022 | October 17-21
Throughout the week of October 17 – 21, the Big Idea Center (as part of Pitt’s Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship) will be showcasing a variety of women entrepreneurs from the Pittsburgh region. They will share their unique stories of what it’s like to be a woman in the world of entrepreneurship and what important lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Follow along as we highlight the roles of women in entrepreneurship through exciting social media content and in-person activities!
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Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022 | November 14-18
Join the Big Idea Center and Carnegie Mellon University’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship as we celebrate entrepreneurship in and around the city of Pittsburgh. GEW highlights include Steel City Startups PittxCMU, the Kuzneski Innovation Cup Finalist Showcase, and the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) Pitch Competition.
Stay up to date on Global Entrepreneurship Week program and speaker announcements by following the Big Idea Center @pittbigidea on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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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
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