Most pitch contests cut you before you ever get in the room. This one doesn't. The University of Iowa's engineering school says every student who submits complete materials by November 20 will be invited to present, live, for a $5,000 first prize.
The other four: 20 grants of $2,500 for BIPOC and Latino owned businesses in Southern Colorado, a $10,000 Canadian grant where the public picks the winner, $5,000 for a woman entrepreneur (with an entry fee), and up to $5,000 for USC student founders that can run out early.
We opened every official page today; if a detail ever differs, trust the page. Soonest deadline first.
1. Hubert E. Storer Start-up Award (University of Iowa engineering students)
Amount: $10,000 in total prizes. First place gets $5,000, second gets $3,000, and two honorable mentions get $1,000 each, all as seed money for the business concept.
Who qualifies: Any currently enrolled University of Iowa College of Engineering student, undergraduate or graduate. Solo applicants are welcome, and teams can have up to five students. International students can present but are not eligible to receive prize funds.
The catch: You submit three documents together, including a market analysis and a plan for the money. Winners must form an Iowa LLC within 30 days before funds go out, which the school says costs about $50.
Good news: Judges are told to weigh engineering innovation heavily, and early-stage teams with a rough business plan are encouraged to apply.
Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2026. Presentations run 5 PM to 8 PM on Monday, December 7.
Official link: Storer Start-up Award Competition
2. BIPOC and Latino Community Mini Grant (Pueblo and Southern Colorado)
Amount: $2,500 each to 20 businesses and organizations this cycle, $50,000 in total, plus a one-hour session with a professional consultant.
Who qualifies: BIPOC or Latino owned businesses or organizations, or organizations whose primary mission or work serves BIPOC and Latino communities. You must operate in or serve Pueblo, Crowley, Custer, Fremont, Huerfano, Las Animas or Otero County, and be in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State if your structure requires registration.
The catch: Grants go to businesses or organizations, not to individuals applying on their own. You must finish the consultation before any money is paid, and incomplete applications won't be considered.
Deadline: Saturday, November 21, 2026, at 5 PM. Late entries are not accepted.
Official link: Latino Chamber of Commerce Mini Grant application
3. Zensurance Small Business Grant (Canada)
Amount: One $10,000 grant, and the other five finalists get $1,000 each.
Who qualifies: Operating businesses registered in Canada with annual revenue of no more than $1 million, excluding Saskatchewan, Quebec, the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. Freelancers, contractors and sole proprietors can enter. One entry per business.
The catch: You also request a no-cost online insurance quote (current clients skip this) and follow Zensurance on one social channel. Zensurance says no purchase is needed and buying doesn't improve your odds. A panel picks six finalists, then a public vote from January 12 to 19, 2027 picks the winner.
Deadline: Friday, December 18, 2026, at 6 PM Eastern.
Official link: Zensurance Small Business Grant
4. The Breakthrough Grant, Volume IV (women entrepreneurs)
Amount: $5,000 to one entrepreneur, announced in March 2027.
Who qualifies: The grant is for women entrepreneurs with a currently operating business, in any industry and at any stage. You must be an active subscriber to the Her Agenda newsletter.
Fee to apply: Yes. The standard fee is $25, or $12.50 for paid INSIDER members. Her Agenda says the grant is community-funded and fees go back into the pool.
The catch: One winner, and a past round drew about 1,000 applications. The page doesn't spell out a country limit, so read the terms before you pay.
Deadline: January 19, 2027.
Official link: The Breakthrough Grant
5. Catalyst Microgrant (USC student founders)
Amount: Up to $5,000 in total per student or venture. The grants are non-dilutive.
Who qualifies: Full-time USC students in good academic standing who are active or aspiring founders of a for-profit or nonprofit venture conceived or launched at USC. You must have taken a Greif Center course or taken part in other Marshall entrepreneurship programs, and the venture must have less than $50,000 in prior funding. You don't need to be a Marshall student, and the startup must be U.S.-based.
The catch: Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis, so the money may be gone before the window closes. Advancing applicants interview with a review committee, and USC says the money may affect financial aid.
Deadline: January 22, 2027, or sooner if funds run out.
Official link: USC Catalyst Microgrant
Before you apply: Real grants never charge a fee to release money you've won. If someone calls about a grant you never applied for and asks for a "processing fee" or your bank login, hang up and go to the official page yourself.
Know an engineering student in Iowa City with a prototype, or a shop owner in Pueblo? Send this to them today. For loans and other options beyond grants, see where to get business funding, and find every Grant Finder post in the grants hub.
Verified Nov 4, 2026 on each official page (2026-11-04).
