WHAT IS THE MIT $100K COMPETITION?

Founded in the 1989-1990 academic year, the MIT $100K Entrepreneurship Competition has brought together students and researchers from across MIT and Greater Boston to launch their talent, ideas, and technology into leading companies. 

The competition runs a series of distinct, increasingly intensive contests from December to May: Pitch, Accelerate, and Launch.

For participating teams, MIT $100K brings together a network of resources, including mentorship from venture capitalists, serial entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and attorneys; media exposure; prototyping funds; business plan feedback; and discounted services. More than $300K in non-dilutive funding is awarded to new ventures each year. 

All MIT $100K Competition events are student-led at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

One competition - three independent contests:

PITCH. ACCELERATE. LAUNCH

  • Pitch: It is the first phase of the MIT $100K and usually takes place in December. Participants practice articulating a 90-second pitch in front of a panel of experienced judges, get feedback on ideas and presentations from both judges and mentors, and compete for both the $5K Grand Prize and the $2K Audience Choice Award.

  • Accelerate: It is the second phase of the MIT $100K and usually takes place in March. The purpose is prototyping. Competitors will receive feedback from leading industry experts on their prototype. Twelve outstanding finalists compete live for a $10K Grand Prize and a Audience Choice Award.

  • Launch: It is the grand finale of the $100K competition. Semi-finalists are expected to present not just prototypes, but full business plans, and they receive funding and elite mentorship along the way. Finalists present onstage to a live audience from Cambridge, Boston, and beyond. Companies worth more than $16B in market capitalization have walked the stage before them. The winning team takes home the $100,000 Grand Prize!

“Being a finalist in the MIT $100K really enabled me to jump start my venture — connecting me to mentors and other entrepreneurs in the Boston area.”
— John Smith, Finalist, 2003

past Participants include:

  • HubSpot, Finalist 2006

  • Akamai, Runner-up, 1998

  • Harmonix, Finalist, 1995

  • Silicon Spice, Finalist, 1995

About the MIT Sloan School of Management

As MIT’s school of management, MIT Sloan combines rigorous study with practical application and a drive for impact in the world. With ten degree programs, including an MBA, specialty masters’ degrees, and offerings for undergraduates through mid-career executives, MIT Sloan brings together a brilliant community of students and faculty from around the world to tackle today’s most complex global challenges.