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Santa Cruz Launchpad 2025 Student Startup Pitch Competition Application due April 21, 2025
Join us for the 8th Annual Santa Cruz Launchpad on May 21, 2025 at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk's Cocoanut Grove. This startup business pitch contest is for UCSC and Cabrillo College students and gives out $27,000 worth of cash prizes. It is in collaboration with the Santa Cruz Works Job Fair that happens directly after the competition.

We invite undergraduate student teams to showcase their ideas, network with professionals, and take their projects to the next level. Don't miss this chance to make your mark. Apply now and be part of the excitement!

Who should apply?
• Open to all undergraduate student startup teams from UC Santa Cruz and Cabrillo College
• Open to all departments, research areas, and degree programs
• Open to all business models, from tech startups to social enterprises
• At least one founding team member must be a current undergraduate student
• Non-traditional founders are strongly encouraged to apply

Previous winners who have received more than $4,000 from the SC Launchpad Pitch competition are not permitted to re-apply using the same winning concept.

Prizes 
• Biotech/Health (QB3) = $5,000 
• Social Impact = $5,000 
• Technology = $5,000 
• Main Street = $2,000 
• Runners Up =  $1,000 each 
• People's Choice Award = $2,000 

- Top winners eligible to participate in the SC Accelerates program.
- All teams will receive Santa Cruz Works Perks Package by OneValley (Value $1M)
- Every team that qualifies for the final round will receive a cash prize!

Competition Deadlines:
• April 21: Monday at 5pm - Applications due 
• April 27: Sunday at 12-3pm - In-person Pitch Workshop (Required for participation)
• May 18: Sunday at midnight - Final pitch decks submitted 

Competition Timeline
• April 23: Wednesday - 20 teams will be selected from the applicant pool to move on to semi-finals announced. 
• April 27: Sunday from 12-30pm - All teams are required to attend a pitch workshop at UCSC.
• April 30: Wednesday - 12 Teams will be selected to move on to Finals.
• May 1-18: Work with Mentors on Pitch Decks - All 12 finalists will receive two weeks of coaching on their pitches with experienced mentors in their field. 
• May 21: Wednesday at 12-4pm Launchpad Pitch Competition at Cocoanut Grove.

Application instructions 
1) Complete written/short answer form below and give consent to the Terms and Conditions and Video Realease
2) Share the link to your team Pitch deck - 5 slides (Google Slides or Canva) with either video of pitch or written script/description in slidenotes. Pitches should be no more than 5 minutes long.

Contact
If you have any questions regarding this application, please contact kgreaney@ucsc.edu.
Employers, please register on the Eventbrite page.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the QB3, UCSC's IBE Hub, Cabrillo College, Baskin School of Engineering, and Santa Cruz Works whose generous support has made this opportunity possible.
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Email *
Team Name
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 First and Last Name of Team Leader and Major *
Email Address of Team Leader *
Phone number for Team leader
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First and Last Name and Major/Department for each Team Member *
Project Category (List all that apply):
Biotech/Health, Social Impact, Technology, Community Impact, Climate Action
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Required
Team tagline / summary of what you do (20 words or less)
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Share a link to your Pitch Deck with the following slides (make sure link is viewable). Either record a video of your pitch or add written script/descriptions in the slide notes.

1. Cover: Provide the name of your venture or product, logo, and tagline (what you do in 20 words or less).

2. Problem and Solution: Briefly outline the problem that your project addresses, supported by research. Explain your proposed solution. Demonstrate a deep understanding of the issue, and build a compelling case for  your solution, explaining who exactly wants it (target customers) and why.  

3. Business Model: Describe how your project will generate revenue. Who pays for what (e.g. unit product, subscription, etc.), how much they will pay, and how (e.g. unit price, freemium model, razor and blade model, etc.). Keep in mind the cost of building your product and running your company when you come up with your pricing and pricing strategy.

4. Understanding of Market: Provide a thorough analysis of your competitors. . Clearly outline your understanding of existing competitors, their offerings, and any gaps or limitations within the market. Additionally, detail your assessment of the market size and your strategy for penetrating the market and distinguishing yourself from competitors. Showing your TAM, SAM, SOM will help you communicate that better.

5. Progress & Traction: Outline your project's current status, accomplishments, and ongoing work. Describe steps taken by your team and any successes, validation, or recognition received.

6. Team members names & expertise (major/minor, past projects, startups, and internships). Describe how your current team can build your product and launch your venture, and identify any additional expertise needed for future development.
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SC Launchpad 2025 Competition Agreement Terms and Conditions 

You and each member of your team must agree to Santa Cruz Launchpad Pitch Competition Terms  (the “Terms”) in order to submit and present at the Santa Cruz Launchpad Pitch Competition (the "Competition").

By submitting your information and acknowledging you have read and understand the following Agreement, you agree to be bound by all the Terms. 

If you do not agree with these Terms, do not submit this form. You and your team will not be eligible to participate in the Competition.

Application Eligibility Requirements 
To be eligible to submit and present your ideas and deck to the Competition, at least one founding team member must be a current student and be enrolled as an undergraduate at UC Santa Cruz or Cabrillo College and not be a top 3 winner from last year's Santa Cruz Launchpad Event.

Judging 
The judging panel may consist of entrepreneurs, scientists, researchers, and other successful and knowledgeable business and innovative leaders. Judges will not be affiliated with or involved in the preparation or funding of any participating team. All decisions made by the judges are final, and scoring is confidential.

Submissions will be judged on: 

1. A clear explanation of the problem you are addressing.
2. The creativity, innovation and validity of the solution. 
3. The overall quality of your submission.

Students submitting ideas as part of an existing company: If the student has registered as a company in any state for longer than 24 months as of April 1, 2025, a brief history of the company is required in the submission. 

The cumulative revenue, debt, grant, or third-party-financing for the organization has not exceeded $100,000 as of April 1, 2025. Student companies exceeding these limitations will be excluded from the student competition.

Eligibility for the student category is subject to verification by Santa Cruz Launchpad, and you agree to cooperate to provide information about your educational status, as applicable. 

Prizes 
• Biotech/Health (QB3) = $5,000 
• Social Impact = $5,000 
• Technology = $5,000 
• Main Street = $2,000 
• Runners Up =  $1,000 each 
• People's Choice Award = $2,000 

Tax & Financial Aid Implications 
Payment for winning a competition or being a top performer is not a scholarship or fellowship; instead, it is a prize or award and is given without stipulation as to how it must be used. Prizes of this nature may be taxable to the recipient but are not considered wages even if the student is employed by the university. If certain dollar thresholds are satisfied, the university will report the prize or award to the IRS and the student on IRS Form 1099-Misc, Miscellaneous Income, or on IRS Form 1042-S, Foreign Person’s U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding. 

Tax Implications for International Students International students are advised to determine their tax status for income and or scholarship awards. A tax specialist can help you fill out the appropriate form(s), so you are taxed appropriately, if at all. The base requirements for any tax treaties are: F-1 visa holders (international students attending an academic program or English language program at a U.S. college or university) and have a social security number or taxpayer-identification number. If a tax treaty is in place, international students must complete U.S. Form 8233, Exemption from Withholding on Compensation for Independent Personal Services of a nonresident alien individual. The tax implications are different for J-1 visa holders (exchange visitor program); otherwise, you may need to complete the IRS Form 1042-S: irs.gov/uac/About-Form-1042S. Once again, please meet with a tax specialist, and they will help you determine which form applies to your visa status. 

Financial Aid Implications for Students Also, payments made by the university to students must be considered for financial aid implications, as they comprise financial assistance given by the university to the student. You should also contact the Financial Aid Office by either email or phone and speak with a financial aid counselor to understand the implications that accepting this award may have on your financial aid. 

Waiver of Rights to Confidentiality Agreements As a competitor, you are responsible for protecting any information concerning your ideas that you share with advisors, team members, and fellow participants of the competition. The Santa Cruz Launchpad Pitch Competition  takes no responsibility for unwanted disclosure in these instances. Contestants should be careful about disclosing information concerning proprietary concepts. Competitors concerned about the protection of intellectual property may contact CIED to connect with available resources. 

General Terms All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. By submitting your idea to the Santa Cruz Launchpad Pitch Competition, you agree to hold Santa Cruz Launchpad Pitch Competition and its directors, officers, employees and assigns, harmless against any and all claims and liability arising out of your submission to the competition and/or acceptance of the competition award. You assume all liability for any injury or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, by participation in the Challenge or use/redemption of the award. You agree to be bound by these Terms and the decisions of the judges, which are final in all respects. You agree that Santa Cruz Launchpad Pitch Competition shall not be responsible for any typographical or other errors in the administration of the Challenge.

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Required
Video Release Form Santa Cruz Launchpad 2025
By completing this release, you grant to, UCSC, the right to make recordings or other electronic reproductions of your appearance and materials as described above (the “Recordings”) for use in connection with the following works (the “Works”) the Project (including derivative works) and other educational works and for UCSC’s institutional and promotional use. You also authorize UCSC to use your name, likeness, voice and biographical information in connection with the project and its promotion.Untitled Title

 It is understood and agreed that: You shall retain your ownership and or copyright in the Materials. UCSC, holds the copyright only in the Recordings made by UCSC, and in the works, UCSC, may edit the Recordings and distribute the Works in all markets and media now known or hereinafter invented, worldwide in perpetuity, which may include distribution via television and/or radio by means of the Internet and other electronic media now known or later developed, and on physical media such as disk and tapes, in UCSC’s judgment.

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Required

You warrant that you have all rights to the Materials needed to grant these rights to UCSC that these rights to not conflict with rights granted to anyone else and that you will hold UCSC, harmless from any claims damages, losses, costs, or fees, including attorneys’ fees, if these statements should prove to be untrue.

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