Big Bang! + Little Bang! Poster Competitions + Contestant Mixer

UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Back Event Jan 24, 2018 @ 6 pm

Join us—as either a participant or attendee—to preview the latest innovations at these two pitch and poster competitions. Present a poster and 90-second pitch to our panel of independent judges for a chance to win prize money. In addition to the prizes listed below, the audience votes to select a $1,000 People’s Choice award winner.

  • Big Bang! Poster Competition: $1,000 microgrant available.
  • Open to the public.

Little Bang! Poster Competition: Up to ten $1,000 microgrants available for currently enrolled UC Davis students with innovations where university intellectual property is not a primary driver.

This Little Bang! poster competition is the second in a series of three poster competitions designed to support students on their entrepreneurial journey and promote business ideas where university intellectual property is not a primary driver. Participants must be currently enrolled UC Davis students at the undergraduate or graduate level. The third Little Bang! poster competition will take place in May. Prize money increases as the series progresses.

In this session, a verbal pitch is required for both the Big Bang! and Little Bang! Poster Competitions. Participants will stand next to their poster and give their pitch to a small group during several speed round rotations. This gives contestants a chance to practice their pitch before pitching in front of the group in Room 1213. To participate, RSVP no later than Monday, January 22, at 5 p.m.

Little Bang! ONLY. Posters submitted by January 16 at noon will be printed free of charge. Otherwise, registered participants may bring printed posters to the competition on January 24. Judges include successful entrepreneurs, alumni, venture capitalists, angel investors and professional service providers working in the university or business community.

This event is free but registration is requested. Please let us know if you will be bringing a poster or if you are a spectator.Thank you.

Program funding for the Little Bang! is provided by the State of California through Assembly Bill 2664: University of California Innovation and Entrepreneurship Expansion.

About the Big Bang! Business Competition

Hosted by the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the annual Big Bang! Business Competition provides free workshops and other events from October through April, and concludes with pitches from five finalist teams at an awards ceremony in May.

The competition is open to everyone who wants to collaborate, develop and test business ideas. You’ll find resources for mentorship, team creation, education, networking and financing — and the winners receive cash prizes! 

You don’t have to compete to attend our workshops and build your entrepreneurial skills and network.