Get to Know our Pitt Student/Alumni Innovators!

Featured Student & Alumni Stories

*Note: We are grateful to have a variety of teams who participate in multiple Big Idea Center competitions throughout the year. During their involvement in our programs, these teams may pivot their idea and experience a change in their members. As a result, some teams on this page may be listed more than once but have a different idea description or group of team members due to their evolution throughout the year.*

Fall 2023 Big Idea Blitz Participating Teams

As part of Blitz, teams participated in a 24-hour workshop with Big Idea Center staff and entrepreneurs in residence. The workshop included 1-on-1 coaching, practice pitch rounds, and feedback. After one week of concentrated work on their ideas, student teams pitched their final presentations in front of a group of guest judges!

This program is an opportunity for students to engage with innovation and entrepreneurship in an environment built for teams from all levels and disciplines. Blitz helps to prepare students’ ideas prior to participating in one of our larger competition opportunities, such as the Big Idea Competition!

View the Fall 2023 Blitz Participating Teams

Fall 2023 Kuzneski Innovation Cup Winning Teams

The Kuzneski Innovation Cup is the Big Idea Center’s first major competition of the school year where Pitt students compete for a chance to win part of the $25,000 total prize pool! During the KIC, students gain valuable feedback, build up the skills to further advance their idea, and become ready to compete in the 2024 Big Idea Competition! This competition is for Pittsburgh students in any major, freshmen to post-doc, who want to explore a new idea and kickstart their entrepreneurial journey.

By participating in the Kuzneski Innovation Cup, students gain experience in university pitch competitions and learn how to:

• Present in front of a pool of industry professionals
• Meet the creators of the Kuzneski Innovation Cup
• Learn the basics of entrepreneurship at our Big Idea Bootcamp
• Gain experience pitching and participating in live Q&A with judges from outside of the University of Pittsburgh
• Compete for real money to put towards making their dream a reality

View the Fall 2023 KIC Winning Teams

2023 Product Development Management Association (PDMA) Competition Pitt Participating Teams

In Fall 2023, teams from the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and Duquesne University pitched their innovative ideas to an expert panel of judges to compete for prizes. The winning teams received monetary prizes as well as access to a variety of resources which are generously donated form local sponsoring companies. This school year, Pitt teams dominated PDMA by winning 3 out of 4 prize categories — Pitt has now won “Best in Show” 4 times and “Best Graduate Team” 3 times!

View the PDMA 2023 Pitt Participating Teams

Spring 2024 Big Idea Blitz Participating Teams

As part of Blitz, teams participated in a 24-hour workshop with Big Idea Center staff and entrepreneurs in residence. The workshop included 1-on-1 coaching, practice pitch rounds, and feedback. After one week of concentrated work on their ideas, student teams pitched their final presentations in front of a group of guest judges!

This program is an opportunity for students to engage with innovation and entrepreneurship in an environment built for teams from all levels and disciplines. Blitz helps to prepare students’ ideas prior to participating in one of our larger competition opportunities, such as the Big Idea Competition!

View the Spring 2024 Blitz Participating Teams

2024 Big Idea Competition Finalist & Winning Teams

This year, a select number of student teams have been named finalists in our prestigious Big Idea Competition, now in its 16th year! Since February, these teams have participated in our kickoff bootcamp, multiple judging rounds, and have worked with our entrepreneurs in residence, their competition mentor, and other competition resources to grow and develop their idea in preparation for the final round.

During our End-of-Year Celebration event on April 11, we’ll be revealing the winning teams of this year’s competition  and who will walk away with the $25,000 grand prize! To read more about each of our Big Idea Competition finalist teams and their ideas, please click the link below.

Learn about the Big Idea Competition 2024 Finalist Teams

MEET THE BIG IDEA COMPETITION 2024 WINNING TEAMS

Thank You to our Supporters!

We would like to thank all of our supporters, including our generous donors who help bring the Big Idea Center’s programming to life, including our financial supporters, partners, judges, mentors, guest speakers, and so many others who have prioritized our Pitt student innovators and entrepreneurs. Thank you and hail to Pitt!

View our Supporters