What is Venture Cup?

Venture Cup is a competition for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Venture Cup is the national entrepreneurship competition at Danish universities. We work to inspire students and researchers to develop their ideas into successful companies.

The purpose of Venture Cup is two-fold; to inspire and motivate entrepreneurship among students and researchers, and to turn academic knowledge into viable high-growth businesses.

We focus on entrepreneurship as a practical discipline and we expose our participants to a network of experienced entrepreneurs and business people, who provide valuable advice on a volunteer basis because they share our interest in finding Denmark's leading start-ups.

In addition, a total of 650,000 kr. in cash prizes is awarded to the best ideas every year.

Venture Cup is supported by the Danish universities, and we partner with a broad range of companies; among them some of Denmark's most successful, such as Novo, Grundfos. Ernst & Young and Awapatent.

Venture Cup was originally started by McKinsey & Company, and exists today as non-profit entities in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden. It is the largest business plan competition in the world.

 

 

What can I learn by participating?

 

Partaking in Venture Cup will give you a chance to improve your entrepreneurial skills set, mind set and your business idea.

From September to June we offer a large entrepreneurial training programme which is free to attend for all budding entrepreneurs.

The training programme includes more than 50 free workshops, inspirational keynotes, events and networking sessions. This programme is designed to build your skills as an entrepreneur, and cover business skills such as market analysis, investor pitching, finance, marketing, team as well as exposing you to a valuable entrepreneurial network with successful entrepreneurs and other likeminded people, often in the same position as yourself. You can see upcoming training events here.

Our purpose is to complement what you learn at university, therefore we have a purely practical focus which gives you a chance to work actively on you idea. In addition, we offer feedback in line with market conditions, so you will receive feedback and be trained by likeminded entrepreneurs and by investors and business people who work in the relevant industries everyday.

We offer a first prize of 250.000 kr. for the best idea of the year, and an additional 400.000 kr. worth of prizes. But whether you win or not, you will get:

• Feedback on your ideas, in person and in writing, from business people, entrepreneurs and investors.
• Training workshops, where you will learn the do's and don't of business plans and starting up.
• Fun social events, across the country, where you will mingle with fellow entrepreneurs.
• A valuable network of experienced individuals who can help you succeed, now and in the future   

  

Further info:

How to participate

More about the prizes

Network and training programme