SOU Business Venture Tournament: $4k in prizes, plus “Wildcard”

(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University will bring together student innovation and live audience energy at the 2025 Business Venture Tournament final competition and gala – with more than $4,000 in prize money and an entrepreneurial head start at stake.

The free event – from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, in the Stevenson Union’s Rogue River Room – is open to all SOU students, faculty, staff and community members. It will feature complimentary food, door prizes and engaging student-led presentations judged by local professionals and campus leaders.

This year’s final competition features four dedicated student finalist teams, selected from a competitive pool of entries. Each team is working to complete their final deliverables and will pitch their entrepreneurial concepts for a chance to win $3,000 for first place and $700 for second, with a $250 sustainability bonus for the venture that best integrates environmental, social and economic impact.

A new wrinkle this year is the Wildcard Pitch Contest, which 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 and experience levels with 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 and 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,” said Douglas Daley, MBA Program Coordinator and director of the Business Venture Tournament. “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 through the vision and generosity of SOU alumni Jim Teece and Dena Matthews, who launched the initiative last year 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 a robust entrepreneur fair and networking area. Graduate intern Jenny Chynoweth and community partners have lined up more than a dozen local organizations and businesses 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 even future collaborations.

The event is made possible by the generous support of the Jim Teece and Dena Matthews Foundation; supporting sponsors SOREDI, Valley Immediate Care and Shepherd’s Dream; and gift-in-kind donors including Britt Music & Arts Festival, Dancin Winery, Talent Maker City and the AI for Good Conference.

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, visit venture.sou.edu.

-SOU-