Your Guide to the 2021 eGames

Start getting ready for NC State Entrepreneurship’s eGames. This is NC State’s largest startup competition that awards over $100k in cash prizes!

This year the eGames is split into two categories, “Think” and “Do.” This means that you can compete with an idea or business in the early stages – ”Think” category – or with an established startup that has a product and team – the ”Do” category. Don’t worry about deciding which category your venture qualifies for, that will be determined by our team after you submit your application!

After you submit your application, it will be sent to judges to determine who moves on to round two. Want some advice for filling out the application? Take a look at this PDF preview of the application and answer the questions on a separate document with your team. Then just copy and paste your answers! If you don’t know the answer to a question, do not leave it blank. Answer it to the best of your ability and be honest. Not answering a question will lose you points!

Here is a quick Q&A to help answer some of the big questions!

What type of businesses are allowed to compete?

All kinds! As long as your team meets the eligibility criteria on the first page of the application, we are accepting startups of all types, sizes, and industries from NC State students. We’ve had everything from bakeries to exoskeletons compete in prior years.

Do I have to have a team to compete?

No! Students may work in teams or individually. 

How do I find out if I qualify to participate?

The team’s founding members must contain at least 50% degree-seeking NC State students that are currently enrolled as either full- or part-time for the Spring 2021 academic semester. Teams that have non-NC State students are still eligible as long as ONLY the NC State student team members partake in any stage of the competition (i.e., Round 1, Round 2, live pitch day). Only fill in the information for NC State students on the application. Additionally, ventures that have received $100,000 or more in outside funding (including grants or awards) or ventures currently generating $50,000 or more in annual revenues are ineligible to compete.

Do I include a freelancer as part of my team?

No. Only include permanent team members. We recommend you only include founding team members. If you win award money, the money will be split between the members you list. 

One of the application questions asks if we have received investments from an outside entity. Do I include funding from external sources or previous universities?

Yes! You must include any funding you’ve received from friends, family, previous competitions, accelerators, awards, etc.

I’m worried my team won’t win, and the application looks long. Is it worth applying to the eGames?

Absolutely! While we largely recommend you apply if you are serious about the business idea you are presenting, teams often remark how useful the competition is by itself. While you may not win an award, you may learn some really valuable things about yourself and your business idea that will help either grow immensely. There’s more to your passions than the award money (though that money is pretty sweet)!

We have to submit a 1-minute pitch video. Can it go a little over that 1-minute mark?

No. Please keep your videos at 60-seconds max. Anything over 60-seconds will be disqualified. Remember that judges will be taking a look at this video, so do your best to pitch your idea, and don’t forget to smile! This video can be recorded with your phone (horizontal format is preferred) and you’re allowed to have all team members in the video or just 1 team representative doing the pitch. Just remember that team members must be active degree-seeking NC State students. Please remember to review the video to make sure the audio works and the lighting is good.

I’m working on this idea, but I’m spinning my wheels and don’t know where to go next. Help me!

Everyone has this feeling at some point. First, we’d recommend reaching out to your professors and advisors. Past that, we highly recommend you schedule a meeting with a team member of NC State Entrepreneurship. Just email us at entrepreneurship@ncsu.edu and we can hopefully point you in the right direction.