25th Annual Big Bang! Business Competition

Big Bang! Connect. Learn. Compete.

The Big Bang! Business Competition provides a forum for innovators to collaborate, develop and test business ideas.

RSVP for the Kickoff

Join us for an evening of networking with fellow Aggie Innovators and discover how you can get involved in our two largest business competitions: the entry-level Little Bang Pitch + Poster Competition and the 25th Annual Big Bang! Business Competition!

  • Grow your network
  • Start building your competition team
  • Hear from past winners
  • Celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship at UC Davis and beyond

When: 5 PM November 13
Where: Walter A. Buehler Alumni Center, UC Davis

RSVP to Attend

These challenging times call on us to create new solutions to our world's complex problems. 

The Big Bang! competition helps you to grow as an entrepreneur and as a leader. You'll find opportunities to connect with fellow innovators, learn and apply business concepts in educational workshops, build your team, grow your network—and compete for cash prizes.

The 25th annual Big Bang! will award prizes for the competition's top innovation overall and for winning ventures in the following sectors:

  • Animal Health + Industry
  • Education + Educational Tools
  • Energy + Sustainability
  • Food + Agriculture
  • Human Health + Industry
  • Social Entrepreneurship

 

 

Competition Overview

The Big Bang! Business Competition runs from March to May and is held in conjunction with the Big Bang! Workshop Series.

Events and competition deadlines are noted below. The Big Bang! culminates with the annual Awards Ceremony, where we announce the winners and award prizes.

To participate in the Big Bang! Business Competition, at least one of your team or venture's founders must be affiliated with a California-based institution of higher education. Refer to the competition overview, eligibility and requirements on the Rules and Tools page for details.

All Big Bang! teams must register and submit deliverables through the competition platform, StartupTree, by the designated deadlines. We cannot accept emailed submissions.

Questions? If you have a question that isn't answered here, check out our FAQ page.



Big Bang! Fast Facts

  • The Big Bang! Business Competition runs March through May.
  • The competition is designed for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs.
  • Our online Big Bang! Workshop Series is a powerful complement to the business competition. Build your skillset, grow your network.
  • You don’t have to enter the competition to participate in the workshops.
  • Teams must have at least one founder affiliated with a California-based institution of higher education.
  • Competition finalists compete for cash prizes.
  • You may participate in the Little Bang! Poster + Pitch Competition concurrently with the Big Bang! 

Helpful Links

The Big Bang! Workshop Series

The Big Bang! Workshops Series, which runs January and February, 2025, will give you the knowledge and skills you need to move from concept to company—and to effectively compete in the Big Bang! Business Competition. Big Bang! workshops are open to anyone and are free of charge. Participants learn to:

Workshops are offered online from 12-1:30 PM, including time for Q&A. While participation in the workshops is not required to enter the Big Bang! competition, we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to grow your entrepreneurial skillset and your network—and to help your venture thrive.

Events and Timeline
 

Event/DeadlineDate/Time        Link to RSVP / Details
The KickoffNov. 13
5 PM
RSVP for this free event
Final Registration Deadline
(Round 1)
March 3, 2025
1 PM
Deliverables: executive summary and team bios. Learn more.
Top teams advance to Round 2.
Round 2 Submission Deadline (Semifinals)April 7, 2025
1 PM
Deliverables: customer call summary, video pitch and detailed pitch deck. Learn more.

Top teams advance to Round 3.
Dry Run Presentations (optional)May 6, 2025
4–8  PM
Virtual
Round 3 Submission Deadline (Finals)May 12, 2025
1 PM
Deliverables: additional customer call summary; presentation pitch deck. Learn more.
Final Presentations and JudgingMay 14, 2025Finalist teams (in-person attendance required)
25th Annual Big Bang! Awards CeremonyMay 20, 2025Finalist teams (in-person attendance required)

Thank you, Big Bang! Sponsors

Thank you to our generous sponsors. Learn more and meet our prize sponsors.

 

It’s amazing to see how far our teams can go. In October many of their ideas are just that: ideas. By May, with a ton of hard work, support and mentorship, many of these ideas are ready for prime-time as companies, licensed technologies or nonprofits.
—Professor Andrew Hargadon