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 September 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 contests are student-led events at 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 September. 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. Eventually, the most promising candidates will be selected by to advance to the live final at MIT’s famed Media Lab. In March, 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.