Deadline: February 28, 2025
Location(s)
France Online United States of America
Overview
Win US$1,000,000. Compete in the planet’s largest student competition to solve the world's toughest challenges.
Details
The Hult Prize Foundation is a start-up accelerator for budding young social entrepreneurs emerging from the world’s universities. Named as one of the top five ideas changing the world by President Bill Clinton and TIME Magazine, the annual competition for the the Hult Prize aims to identify and launch the most compelling social business ideas—start-up enterprises that tackle grave issues faced by billions of people. Winners receive USD 1 million in seed capital, as well as mentorship and advice from the international business community.
Each year, Hult Prize empowers students around the world to create innovative startups that create real impact. Participants join an exclusive global community of student entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry experts as they work to earn a spot in our Global Finals where finalists compete for $1M in funding to bring their big ideas to life.
The 2025 Hult Prize program cycle has officially kicked off! Whether you’re looking to take your existing startup to the next level or are inspired to build a brand new business, we invite you to participate. Fill out the interest form below to get started.
Whether you’re looking to take your existing startup to the next level or are inspired to build a brand new business, we invite you to participate.
The Competition
Our year-long, global competition challenges young people to solve the world's most pressing issues by creating innovative social ventures. Learn about each stage of the competition below.
Step 1: Qualifiers
November - February
The OnCampus Program and the Open Application together serve as the first phase of the Hult Prize competition. In the OnCampus Program, student volunteers, known as Campus Directors, organize training programs and community events at their universities, focusing on that year's Challenge.
Winners of the qualifying OnCampus programs will represent their universities at our Summits. Alternatively, teams can apply directly through our Open Application.
From over 10,000 teams, less than 400 will be selected to advance to the next round.
Step 2: Summits
June
In 2025, the Hult Prize will host in-person Global Summits in seven cities worldwide. Hundreds of teams will pitch their social venture ideas to panels of experts. The winning teams from each summit, along with four other startups selected through the Second Chance Round, will earn a spot at the Global Accelerator.
Step 3: Global Accelerator
July - August
In July, our 12 semi-finalist teams will connect with Hult Prize mentors and curricula to refine their pitches and develop their businesses further. In August, they will travel to London, UK, for our Global Accelerator, where they will spend two weeks working and learning with world-class experts and coaches. At the end of the Accelerator, six teams will be chosen to participate in our Global Finals!
Step 4: Global Finals
September
At the Global Finals, six teams pitch their social ventures to a panel of distinguished judges with the hopes of being selected as the next winner of the US $1,000,000 Hult Prize.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Open to universities, colleges and students on every continent, the Hult Prize has grown to become the world’s largest student movement for social good. It is also the world’s largest crowd-sourcing platform. Participating annually are thousands of students from 130 countries, representing over 350 institutions of higher education. Competing schools included Stanford, Harvard, INSEAD, Hult International Business School, NYU, Columbia, American University Beirut, LBS, Hitotsubashi, St. Petersburg, and Tel-Aviv University. Nearly all of the Financial Times’ Top 100 MBA programs participate.
Basic Eligibility:
- All members of the team must currently be a student enrolled in a degree seeking program at any university or college.
- Teams must be between 2 -4 members.
- All members of the team must be at least 18 years of age by February 28th, 2025 to compete.
Dates
Deadline: February 28, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.