Registration for the 2019-20 Opportunity Quest competition at the University of Utah is now open. All U students are welcome to enter the competition for a chance to win $10,000 in cash prizes including a $5,000 grand prize. The registration deadline is Monday, Nov. 25, 2019.
Opportunity Quest (OQ) is a statewide business model competition. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute hosts branch OQ competitions across the state at the University of Utah and partner universities. The program is sponsored by Zions Bank.
“Opportunity Quest is a great program to help students at the University of Utah to gain experience and the funds they need to further the success of their business,” said Kearsa Hodgson, student chair of Opportunity Quest at the U. “We are excited for another great season.”
All OQ participants are judged by industry experts on the quality of their submission. First-place teams receive cash and in-kind prizes and advance to the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge.
Last year’s winner at the University of Utah Opportunity Quest was PreOv, a student startup developing a fertility monitoring technology that helps people with family planning. It won the $5,000 grand prize. Other top teams included the second-place winner InSufflex ($3,000), the third-place winner NipaYe ($1,000), and the best-video winner red_ ($1,000). Learn more about last year’s winners online here.
To participate in the University of Utah OQ, students can visit the event website to review the competition guide and apply online. Students must submit a written business model.
With equity-free funding from Zions Bank, support from local businesses and an expanded professional network, Opportunity Quest helps students launch their startup ideas.
Learn more about the University of Utah OQ competition and find links to statewide OQ competitions online here: lassonde.utah.edu/oq.
2019-20 Competition Timeline
- Application Opens: Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, at noon
- Application Deadline: Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, at midnight
- Online Judging: Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019, to Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019
- Announce Top 10: Friday, Dec. 13, 2019, at midnight
- Top 10 Mentor Session: Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, 6-8 p.m.
- Top 10 Video Deadline: Friday, Jan. 10, 2020, at midnight
- Top 10 PowerPoints Due: Friday, Jan. 15, 2020, at 5 p.m.
- Competition Day: Friday, Jan. 17, 2020
About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus of the Eccles School and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include workshops, networking events, business-plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, graduate seminars, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Institute also manages Lassonde Studios, a five-story innovation space and housing facility for all students. Learn more at lassonde.utah.edu.
