Freed Family Pitch Competition
Are You Ready to Break the Mold?
Freed Family
Pitch Competition
Are You Ready to Break the Mold?
Freed Family
Pitch Competition
Are You Ready to Break the Mold?
Inspiration
Resources
Opportunities
2022 Formal Rules
Freed Family Pitch Competition
The Freed Family Pitch Competition, previously known as DisrupTexas, is an annual pitch competition for undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Austin. Hosted by the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center, the Freed Family Pitch Competition is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for experiential learning and a chance for student teams to walk away with some serious cash.
Why Should You Apply?
1) $60k in cash + prizes
2) Feedback, mentorship, networking
3) Supports building big ideas
Fall 2023 applications are now closed.
The Mission
The Freed Family Pitch Competition seeks to create a legacy of successful student entrepreneurs and empowers the leaders of tomorrow to innovate and attain their full potential.
During the competition, students have the opportunity to hone their business strategy, get professional feedback on their pitches, and form lasting relationships with mentors in the Texas entrepreneurial ecosystem.
At The University of Texas at Austin, we believe that what starts(up) here changes the world!
How It Works:
This competition is all about shaking up the game, never settling, pushing boundaries, and never settling. We’re looking for big ideas and the passionate students behind them.
Are you ready to break the mold?
Who Should Apply
Undergraduate entrepreneurs from The University of Texas at Austin are welcome to apply! The participating team must contain and be represented by at least one full-time or part-time undergraduate student currently enrolled.
Entrepreneurship is for everyone – diverse teams and innovative products across any industry are welcome. Top industries represented in previous years include: social good, entertainment, retail, business operations, SAAS, ed tech and healthcare tech.
Important: ONLY undergraduates will be invited to pitch at the finals.
What Do You Win
Beyond a full day of feedback from top Austin entrepreneurs and investors, you’ll be eligible for a chance at $60k in prizes, including free service offerings and perks from our sponsors.
Cash Prizes:
1st place: $20K
2nd place: $10K
3rd place: $5K (Two Awards)
$5,000 in Amazon Web Service Credits awarded to each team that places in the finals.
NOTE: Awards will be processed as a scholarship or financial aid award. If you are an international student, taxes may be withheld. See more in Disclaimer below.
How Do You Win
Applications are judged on the following criteria. Judges will review your background information and persuasiveness of your video pitch to rank:
Innovativeness: How novel is your core idea?
Achievability: How practical is the idea?
Scalability: Can the idea generate a sustainable and growing business?
Fundability: How clear are the benefits of funding for the idea?
Persuasiveness: Is your passion evident and can you convince people?
Quality: Overall quality of the application.
F.A.Q.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the competition. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Contact hkec@utexas.edu.
When is the deadline for the application?
The application deadline is Sunday, September 17, 2023 at 11:59PM. All applications must be received through the submission portal.
Where do I submit an application?
Applications for Fall 2023 are now closed.
Do I have to be a student to participate?
This is a competition for undergraduate student startups; the undergraduate student(s) must play a central role in the business – combined ownership of at least 50% equity and be a founding member. Only undergraduate students will be invited to participate in the finals.
How many students can be on a team?
A minimum of one student can comprise a team. A maximum of three students per team will be invited to participate in the competition. Only undergraduate students may present.
Who can a “faculty advisor” be and why do I need one?
A faculty advisor could be a professor, academic advisor/counselor, dean, or other university-employed professional who is familiar with your work. This advisor may be contacted via email, but will not have any obligations for the competition. Note: A faculty advisor is strongly recommended but not required to apply to the competition.
When and where will the finals be held?
Semi-finals will be held in the morning and finals will be held in the afternoon on Saturday, October 14, 2023 via Zoom. Finals will be held on Thursday, October 26, 2023, time and location pending. More information about the schedule of the competition will be shared at a later date.
How can I get help or preliminary feedback on my application?
Applicants are encouraged to work with their faculty advisor before submitting the application. The HKEC offers individual appointments with it’s Entrepreneurs-in-Residence to discuss any problem areas in business development or pitch presentations. Additionally, helpful videos, how-to’s, and articles can be found at the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center website and YouTube channel.
Does my venture have to be an established business?
No, this is a pitch. Having an established business is not required and does not impact judging.
Can I submit a plan for an established business that I helped found?
Yes, as long as it is still early-stage/startup, you are a current undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin, and you play a central role in the business (founding member) with team members having combined ownership of at least 50% equity.
What colleges and universities are eligible for this competition?
The participating team must contain at least one primary team member that is enrolled as an undergraduate student at The University of Texas at Austin, either full or part-time, for the Fall 2023 semester. The competition is open to any undergraduate major at UT Austin. Team members from other universities are not eligible to compete. Students who competed in the Finals of the 2022 DisrupTexas competition, now known as the Freed Family Pitch Competition, are not eligible to compete.
What is the format of the judging rounds?
First, applications will be judged virtually by at least three judges. The top teams will be invited to pitch at the semi-finals on Saturday, October 14th. The top four teams from the semi-finals will be invited to pitch during the finals, occurring the afternoon of Thursday, October 26th. More information about the schedule of the competition will be shared at a later date.
Are applications and presentations confidential?
No. Due to the nature of this competition, please do not assume confidentiality with any materials.
Can my company compete if I’ve already raised funding or have revenue?
Yes, as long as the participating undergraduates still retain 50% of company equity.’
Disclaimer
PLEASE READ:
Financial awards will be paid to an individual student, not the startup listed in the application and will be awarded for the Fall 2023 semester. An increase in resources, including a financial award as a result of performance in the Freed Family Pitch Competition, may result in a reduction or cancellation of financial aid funds or a requirement to repay awards already released to students. Finally, financial awards may be used to pay outstanding payments owed to the university.
If you receive financial aid or owe money to the university, you should reach out to the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships or Students Accounts Receivable to determine how winning a cash award through the Freed Family Pitch Competition would impact money owed to UT or your financial aid status.
2023 Competition Rule Book
The Mission
The Freed Family Pitch Competition seeks to create a legacy of successful student entrepreneurs and empowers the leaders of tomorrow to innovate and attain their full potential.
During the competition, students have the opportunity to hone their business strategy, get professional feedback on their pitches, and form lasting relationships with mentors in the Texas entrepreneurial ecosystem.
At The University of Texas at Austin, we believe that what starts(up) here changes the world!
The Mission
The Freed Family Pitch Competition seeks to create a legacy of successful student entrepreneurs and empowers the leaders of tomorrow to innovate and attain their full potential.
During the competition, students have the opportunity to hone their business strategy, get professional feedback on their pitches, and form lasting relationships with mentors in the Texas entrepreneurial ecosystem.
At The University of Texas at Austin, we believe that what starts(up) here changes the world!
The Mission
The Freed Family Pitch Competition seeks to create a legacy of successful student entrepreneurs and empowers the leaders of tomorrow to innovate and attain their full potential.
During the competition, students have the opportunity to hone their business strategy, get professional feedback on their pitches, and form lasting relationships with mentors in the Texas entrepreneurial ecosystem.
At The University of Texas at Austin, we believe that what starts(up) here changes the world!
A $1 Million Boost to UT’s Venture Culture
San Antonio entrepreneur and investor Billy Freed and family donate to support students’ business efforts at Texas McCombs
Adding fuel to The University of Texas at Austin’s startup engine, alumnus William “Billy” Freed, BBA ’81, and his family have given $1 million to the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center in the McCombs School of Business.
The gift establishes the Freed Family Entrepreneurship Excellence Fund and endows the Freed Family Pitch Competition, previously called DisrupTexas. Freed’s wife Cheryl, BA ’82, JD ’84; sons Tyler, BS ’17, and Russell, BBA ’21; and daughter-in-law Leslie Lugrin Freed, BS ’17, took part in this gift.
“The Kelleher Center is deeply grateful to Billy Freed and his family for their generous support of the startup community at UT,” said Luis Martins, the center’s director and Texas McCombs professor of management. “With this gift, countless students will find the inspiration, know-how and capital to take their bold ideas to market.”
A serial entrepreneur in San Antonio for more than 30 years, Freed has served as president, principal or co-founder of numerous businesses. He is currently principal of Nueces Marketing Partners Ltd., a diversified investment partnership with interests in consumer products, energy services, technology and telecommunications. The company also holds a substantial real estate portfolio.
“Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” said Freed, who earned a marketing degree from Texas McCombs. “These ambitious students depend on the support and advice of experienced faculty members, industry mentors and investors. My family and I hope this endowment will encourage more young people to step up with fresh business ideas, and that those ventures will have room to grow.”
The Freed Family Pitch Competition endowment will support an annual event open to all UT undergraduate students. Teams vie for cash and prizes as expert judges critique their 10-minute pitch presentations, asking questions and offering vital feedback to help the emerging companies hone their business strategies.
The new Freed Family Entrepreneurship Excellence Fund will power other efforts of the Kelleher Center, including a pre-accelerator program, networking events, entrepreneurs-in-residence, and opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student founders to collaborate.
“UT attracts some of the brightest, most innovative students in the world — young people poised to tackle the crucial problems of our time. With this gift to the Kelleher Center, the Freed family helps connect these entrepreneurial minds with the people and resources to realize their ideas,” said Texas McCombs Dean Lillian Mills. “I’m excited to see what solutions our students will find, thanks to this bold investment in their talents.”
Recap Rewind: DisrupTexas Undergrad Pitch Competition Finals 2022
On Thursday, October 27th, 2022, four student founded startup teams from The University of Texas at Austin pitched their business concepts to a panel of judges in competition for $35,000 in cash and prizes at the 2022 DisrupTexas Undergrad Pitch Competition Finals.
DisrupTexas is an annual pitch competition for undergraduate students at UT Austin hosted by the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center. DisrupTexas is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for experiential learning and a chance for student teams to pitch their startups in competition for cash and prizes. DisrupTexas seeks to create a legacy of successful student entrepreneurs and empowers the leaders of tomorrow to innovate and attain their full potential. During the competition, students have the opportunity to hone their business strategy, get professional feedback on their pitches, and form lasting relationships with mentors in the Texas entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The evening began with HKEC Director Luis Martins giving the welcome address to kick start the 2022 DisrupTexas Pitch Competition Finals. Deliberating this year’s pitch competition was a prominent judge’s panel consisting of Blake Settle, Founder and CEO of Rev Gum; Brian Cruver, Founder and Executive Chairman of AlertMedia; Carol Frank, Managing Director of BirdsEye Advisory Group; and Rajini Kodialam, Co-Founder of Focus Financial Partners.
First up to pitch were Alyssa Le, Janani Gopal, and Paulina Chee with Locket, a one-stop site that takes gynecologist-approved curriculum and converts it into easy-to-understand educational content for teens. Next, Hudson Gould pitched his concept, Renew Robotics, which is speeding up industrial composting with the C1 — a smart composter that takes hours instead of years to degrade waste. Siddharth Thakur and James Mahon represented Paradigm Robotics, a wirelessly controlled, obstacle-climbing tracked robot that can be deployed in burning buildings to efficiently search for and locate human life. The last entrepreneur to pitch his concept was Aryan Bansal with his startup, Disolv Energy, which combines biodegradable materials with solid-state technology to solve toxic battery waste with next-generation battery technology.
After a difficult deliberation period, HKEC Director Dr. Luis Martins revealed the judges’ decisions. He announced that after careful consideration, Siddharth Thakur and James Mahon with Paradigm Robotics would take home the 1st place title with $8,000. Hudson Gould with Renew Robotics came in 2nd place with $4,000, Aryan Bansal with Disolv Energy in 3rd place with $2,000, and Alyssa Le, Janani Gopal and Paulina Chee with Locket in 4th place with $1,000. The audience choice was Renew Robotics, which earned Hudson Gould an extra $100 for his venture.
The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center extends a massive thank you to all participants, judges, HKEC workers, and attendees that helped make this year’s DisrupTexas Pitch Competition such a success, and best of wishes to all entrepreneurs in their outstanding ventures.