Grand Ideas Pitch Competition

Do you have a innovative idea? Pitch it for a chance to win up to $5,000 to make it happen.

The Grand Ideas pitch competition is for Massey University students who have a great idea for a commercial or social enterprise. All ideas are welcome; no business plan required.

All participants are eligible to receive expert mentoring and coaching to help turn their idea into a reality. 

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Still on the fence about entering? Chat to us about your idea >>

  • Entering your idea is easy:

    Submit - submit your idea online.

    Qualify - up to 10 ideas are selected to submit a pre-recorded video pitch.

    Pitch - up to 10 ideas will be pitched, but only 3 will win seed funding.

  • 20 July 2026: Entries open

    23 August 2026: Deadline for entries

    26 August 2026: Finalists announced

    23 September 2026: Finals

    28 September 2026: Winners announced

    • First Place: $5,000

    • Second Place: $2,500

    • Third Place: $1,500

    All participants are eligible to receive expert mentoring and coaching to help bring their idea to life.

Frequently asked questions

  • Explain your idea using the online entry form. You may enter as individuals or in teams, but all contestants must be a current Massey University student or faculty member. You may enter multiple ideas by submitting an application for each.

  • The most innovative ideas will progress to the finals where you’ll submit a pre-recorded 3 minute video pitch to a panel of judges. The top ideas, as selected by judges, will win seed funding to help turn their idea into reality.

  • Judges will assess applications on the following criteria:

    • Originality and innovation of the idea

    • Feasibility of the idea

    • Impact the idea will have on the target market/community

  • Undergraduate and post graduate students, distance students and/or faculty/staff of Massey University are all eligible and strongly encouraged to participate.

  • The Grand Ideas competition honours the confidentiality of all ideas. Submissions will not be released or copied for any purposes other than use in the Grand Ideas competition. The judges also recognise the confidentiality of the materials being presented.

  • You can resubmit a past idea as long as it did not win. If you do, please tell us about the progress you’ve made since then. You can enter as a previous winner with a new idea.

Terms and conditions:

  • Funding will be awarded to the most innovative ideas as chosen by the judging panel.

  • No correspondence will be entered into and the panel decision is final.

  • The prize money is to be spent on progressing the idea and the winners will be expected to propose how they intend to spend the money to further develop their concept.

  • The winners are responsible for ensuring they comply with any tax issues resulting from the prize.

  • We are not liable for any actions taken by the business.

  • We reserve the right to publicise non confidential information about the winning idea for the purposes of PR.