Hosted by the Center for Leadership Education, HopStart: Hopkins New Venture Challenge (formerly the JHU Business Plan Competition) is an annual startup competition that challenges Johns Hopkins students to develop a business plan around a novel idea and pitch their plan to industry leaders.
Throughout two stages of competition held during the spring of each year, students build an understanding of their target market and competitors, craft an effective market entry strategy, and present their plans to industry professionals on competition day.
Learn more about the history of the competition.
Register for HopStart 2025
Registration for the 2025 competition is now CLOSED TO COMPETITORS. Those who would like to observe pitches on competition day (April 25) or attend the awards ceremony can register at the link below between February 26 and April 18.
Compete in HopStart 2025
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Eligibility and Registration
Please read our eligibility requirements and registration guidelines before registering for the competition.
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Competition Timeline
Stay informed on important dates and deadlines in the competition. Get the competition timeline.
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Competition Instructions
Learn more about successfully completing each stage of the competition. Get the Competition Instructions.
Become a Judge or Mentor
Join us as a HopStart judge or mentor and share your expertise with students who are innovating to solve some of today’s most pressing problems. Mentors help student teams perfect their business plans and pitches in advance of competition day, while judges evaluate pitches, provide feedback, and network with teams in person on competition day.
“ The extensive feedback and conversations with mentors really forces competitors to do a deeper dive on all the subsections of the business plan, and because of that, [HopStart] is ideal for startups at all stages. ”
Ronak Mahatme
'21 Competitor
HopStart News
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Two former HopStart winners receive Pava LaPere Innovation Awards
Fetal Therapy Technologies, 2nd place winners in the Med Tech category in 2024, and Somnair, 1st place winners in the Med Tech category in 2023, were recently awards Pava LaPere Innovation Awards by TEDCO. Read more here.
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2023 Competitors Somnair win first prize at ASU's Innovation Open
Somnair, a non-invasive neurostimulation device for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, won $100,000 at Arizona State University’s annual competition on February 9.
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Former HopStart winners CurveAssure receive $140,000 President's Venture Fellowship
2023 HopStart competitors CurveAssure (second place in the Med Tech category) recently received the Johns Hopkins’ President’s Venture Fellowship, which includes $100,000 in funding and a $40,000 stipend for their venture lead. Read more here.