Event prompts students to “think big”
Ashland.news staff reports
Four Southern Oregon University student teams will vie for nearly $4,000 in prize money and an entrepreneurial head start at SOU’s annual Business Venture Tournament final competition and gala, held Tuesday, May 27.
Think the Television show Shark Tank, with a SOU twist.
The event, planned from 5 to 6:30 p.m., is in its second year and will showcase student innovation with live audience energy in the Stevenson Union’s Rogue River Room. SOU students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to attend, according to a news release. Complimentary food, door prizes, and engaging student-led presentations judged by local professionals and campus leaders will be on tap.
The four student finalist teams, selected from a competitive pool of entries, are working to complete their final products and will pitch their entrepreneurial concepts for a chance to win $3,000 for first place and $700 for second place, among other prizes for sustainability.
Wildcard
The Wildcard Pitch Contest, new to the competition this year, welcomes any student attending the event to share a one-minute pitch on the spot, with no advance entry required.
The contest is intended to spark creativity in students of all majors for a low-pressure, high-energy opportunity to share entrepreneurial ideas. One winning idea – chosen by a mix of audience and judge voting – will receive a $200 cash prize. All wildcard participants will be encouraged to further develop their pitches into full venture submissions for next year’s competition.
“This is about opening doors, not raising bars,” Douglas Daley, MBA Program Coordinator and director of the Business Venture Tournament, said in the release. “Whether students arrive with a polished plan or just a spark of curiosity, we want the gala to be a space where ideas come alive – and new voices feel invited in.”
The tournament was founded by SOU alumni Jim Teece and Dena Matthews, who launched the initiative in 2024 to help students “think big” and bring forward ideas with the power to create real-world change.
This year’s final competition and gala will also feature an entrepreneur fair and networking area.
More than a dozen local organizations and businesses have been lined up by graduate Jenny Chynoweth to connect with students, offer insights and showcase real opportunities.
Students and guests can explore innovative business ventures, connect with professionals, and build relationships that could lead to mentorships, internships or future collaborations.
The final round event will feature additional table hosts, including Southern Oregon Innovation Hub, Business Oregon, SCORE Mentors, SOU Small Business Development Center, Jackson County Library Services, Jefferson Public Radio, Rogue Valley Times, KMVU-TV, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, Ashland Food Co-op and the SOU School of Business and Institute of Applied Sustainability.
For more information, go online at venture.sou.edu.
