JagStart 2021

JagStart: create, innovate, and pitch your idea

The JagStart workshop series and live event is designed to help you, the IUPUI student, come up with new ideas or to take an existing idea and move it from inception to reality. Whether it be a new product, new business venture, or a compelling solution to a social challenge, we provide the expertise and support you need so that you can share your solution with the world.

Do you have an idea? Join us!

Don't have an idea? No problem!

Are you are you an individual or joining as a team? Awesome!

You can sign up individually or as a team. 

Sign up for JagStart

You can also earn 1 business credit for participating.
Register for BUS-X 35500.

The Process

It takes just three to five minutes for you to share your idea! IUPUI's JagStart helps you ideate new ideas or take an existing idea and move it from an idea to something that could receive real 

  • Learn the process of defining a problem, ideating, refining a solution, and presenting by participating in one of our six workshops
  • Participate in our semi-final round for a chance to be one of our finalist and a chance at our grand prize winnings! 
  • Have an opportunity to receive 1 class credit offered by the Kelley School of Business
  • Network with entrepreneurs and others in the community. 
A woman stand in front of a PowerPoint wearing a microphone as she pitches her JagStart idea.

Frequently asked questions

JagStart is open to all students (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, and professional) who are enrolled, full or part time, and are in good standing in any of the IUPUI schools at either the Indianapolis or Columbus campuses. A few other things to keep in mind:

  • You don't have to have an idea to participate, but you may.
  • JagStart is open to individuals or teams of students.
  • Students must attend the semi-final pitch. It is highly encouraged that each participant also attend the workshops (see below). Each session will be approximately 60–90 minutes in length.

The Kelley School of Business is offering the opportunity for you to receive a credit for participating, but the requirements are a little more extensive than just participating in JagStart. They are:

  • Attend all six virtual workshops. Each session will be approximately 60 to 90 minutes in length.

  • Write a one- to two-page reflection paper after your JagStart experience 

The course is BUS-X 35500. You must enroll in this course for the spring 2021 semester.

An elevator pitch is a very short story that describes your idea for a novel product or venture, just as you would do in a real-world scenario (e.g., talking to a potential investor in an elevator). JagStart rewards students who have the best ideas—and the best pitches—with cash prizes.

Students are invited to submit an abstract describing their idea to begin the entry process. This will allow the JagStart mentoring team to provide feedback on your idea and provide mentoring/coaching assistance to the selected teams for preparation of the final entry stage of the contest in the spring. Students may request to be paired with one of our volunteer business mentors (an industry professional that is matched to the team based on the mentor’s expertise and background) to refine their project idea for the next stage of entries.

You can watch past student competitors in action to see how it’s done:

Please contact Dr. Christian Rogers, faculty fellow with the Institute for Engaged Learning. You can email him at rogerscb@iupui.edu.

Our workshop sessions

Each of our workshop sessions are listed below. All sessions are at 6:00 p.m., and dates are subject to change. All workshops will be online. You will get the Zoom information for the workshops once you sign up.

  • February 10: Overview of JagStarts

  • February 17: Design Thinking Strategies

  • March 3: Assessment of Market, Evaluation of Product Design

  • March 17: Generation of Business Model

  • March 31: Development of Pitch and Storytelling Techniques

  • April 7: Pitch Practice with Mentors

Meet our 2020 Grand Prize Winner

Abhinav Sikharam

M.S. in Human Computer Interaction

Project Ma started as a design project and soon turned out to be a potential customer product. Thanks to Jagstart 2020 to teach, guide, and encourage me in bringing it to reality in an entrepreneurial way.

Learn more about Project Ma

Meet our 2020 Audience Choice Winner

Joshua Kelly

Sports Management

Full Court Analytics is a subscription-based service that brings professional-level analytics and insights to high school and AAU basketball teams.

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