Jones Idea Challenge

In the Jones Idea Challenge, undergrad student teams work with coaches to pitch solutions to companies' real-world problems. Successful teams are eligible to win cash prizes.

A classroom with student groups meeting

Jones Idea Challenge: A Reverse Corporate Pitch

This entrepreneurial competition is designed just for undergraduate students: Solve a real company problem, work with a team coach, and compete for cash prizes. How it works:

  1. Companies pitch an "intra-preneurial" problem.
  2. Teams of two to three students select a problem to solve and then work closely with a business coach to create an innovative solution.
  3. Teams will pitch back their solutions to the companies.
  4. Company judges will award first, second, and third place prizes with cash prizes

Students benefit from learning to work in a team and pitch their ideas, and can also network and form relationships with business professionals. Some companies have even hired students as interns and employees!

Companies get the opportunity to give back to the community. By working with entrepreneurially driven students, companies gain insight into how the next generation of students think and can form relationships with potential future business leaders.

Free for companies to participate!

Company Project Application

 

2025 Jones Idea Challenge Key Dates

  • January 24: Company project night
  • February 28: Student pitches and awards

Why join the Jones Idea Challenge? To be part of something bigger

A student pointing at a Powerpoint slide

Sharon Ideguchi and Veronica Garcia

"We felt we were part of a bigger movement to help those in need through the Jones Idea Challenge. After the competition, a representative from Giving Tech Labs let us know that she was interested in using our idea around sentiment analysis. Knowing that we were contributing to a real-world project which would help people was so rewarding. It was the reason we got involved in the first place."

2020 Jones Idea Challenge winners