Fowler Business Concept Challenge Fall 2025

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Description

The Fowler Business Concept Challenge (FBCC) energizes the entrepreneurial spirit of students at the University of San Diego — including majors from all schools. At this annual event organized by USD's Knauss School of Business, the sky is the limit on creative ideas and we encourage students to explore their entrepreneurship potential to make a positive impact on the world. Both finalists and semifinalists pitch their ideas to top San Diego business leaders and have the chance to win up to $45,000 in scholarships.

Business Concept

Got a business idea you want to explore further? Sign up to pitch your business concept.

Mentorship

Along the way, you'll get mentored by Knauss School of Business faculty to fine-tune your idea and hone your pitching skills.

Scholarships

Scholarship prizes totaling $45,000 are awarded to the top four finalists and remaining 12 semifinalists that do not advance to the finals.

Pitch Experience

Each of the 16 semi-finalists will get to pitch at the FBCC award ceremony, giving you visibility and even more support for your idea — whether you make it to the final round or not.

Rules

Six Questions for registration of your idea:

1. Problem Statement (Max: 400 words)

*Who is your customer? What customer problems will you solve? How does your customer solve that problem today? What other solutions will compete for that customer?

2. Target Market & Size (Max: 400 words)

*Provide a preliminary description and estimate of the size of the potential market (number of customers that can be reasonably addressed, how much profit one can expect per transaction, and how many repeat transactions you expect from the same customer over a period of time).

3. Proposed Solution and Value Proposition (Max: 600 words)

*Provide a concise description of the proposed business concept and why it is unique / compelling. How will it solve the problem? How will your solution create exceptional value for the customer? How is it different from and superior to other solutions in the market?

4. Business Model (Max: 400 words)

*How will you deliver this solution to your customer affordably and effectively, and how will your venture make money (revenue minus costs)?

5. Stakeholder Impact (Max: 400 words)

*CEOs of some of the largest corporations have revised their definition of the purpose of a corporation from profit maximization to leading their companies for the benefit of all stakeholders (customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, people and planet). Explain how your idea will create value for all stakeholders.

6. Investor Attractiveness (Max: 200 words)

*Why should someone invest in your venture? Explain why you will be successful.

Participants in the FBCC are a diverse group of students from the University of San Diego (USD), reflecting a wide range of academic disciplines and backgrounds. Here are the key characteristics:

  • Must be a current student during FA25 (FT/PT/in person/online)
  • Can be from any part of USD
  • Can be graduate or undergraduate student
  • Can compete as individual or as team
  • Teams can be up to 3 other (students or non-students) and be a max of 4
  • Only USD student members can present and receive scholarship awards