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Ready, Set, Compete! The 2026 RBPC Applications Are Open, Info webinar 11/13

Catherine Santamaria - Tuesday, November 11, 2025
 RBPC News 

It's Time!

 
Mark your calendar and tell your friends:

Applications are open
for the 2026 Rice Business Plan Competition!

Apply to Represent Rice at the RBPC

Experiential
Impactful
“Best. Competition. Ever”
 
We’re excited to announce the 26th Annual Rice Business Plan Competition is coming back to McNair Hall April 9–11, 2026!
 
The Rice Business Plan Competition showcases the best university startups from across the U.S. and around the world each year in Houston, Texas — giving young entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch to high-level investors, raise funds, scale their businesses, exit successfully and more.
 
How high are the stakes? Last year’s winner took home more than $900K in funding and RBPC alumni have gone on to raise more than $6 billion in total.  

We invite 42 student startups to compete for over $1 million in prizes--
will your startup be the one to represent Rice University?

Get ready to apply! Check the RBPC website for what questions are on the application, and join an info sessio on November 13 (register) or December 11 (register) on the application process!

Rice University is guaranteed one berth in the competition. We determine that startup through an internal review process, the RBPC Qualifier, in February where Rice startup teams pitch their ventures to a panel of judges to determine who advances to the RBPC!

To be eligible, your startup will:

  • have at least one current Rice student founder
  • be student-driven, student-created and/or student-managed
  • have at least two current student founders or management team members (and at least one of those students must be a current graduate degree-seeking student (MA, PhD, MBA, JD, etc.)
  • be seeking funding or capital (or will be in the next 12 months)
  • be a potentially viable investment opportunities

What can student startups do at the RBPC?

  • Gain real-world experience
  • Receive mentorship, feedback and guidance from investors and entrepreneurs
  • Join top-ranked emerging graduate student-led startups
  • Learn from, network with and connect to colleagues and peers
  • Find investors and compete for $1+ MILLION in prizes
  • Win cash, investment and in-kind prizes (all competing startups win a minimum cash prize)
Important dates:

January 31, 2026 - Applications are due
February 12 - RBPC Qualifier, 5:30 - 8:30 PM in McNair Hall (internal competition to determine which Rice startup advances to the RBPC)
April 9-11 - The Rice Business Plan Competition takes place at McNair Hall!

Complete details with guidelines, rules, prizes and competition format are on the RBPC website: www.rbpc.rice.edu and For Rice Startups page.

Contact Catherine Santamaria, RBPC Director, for more info or with questions.

Ready. Set. Compete!

Catherine Santamaria
Director, Rice Business Plan Competition
csantamaria@rice.edu | rbpc@rice.edu | 713-348-3190 office | www.rbpc.rice.edu