Submission Requirements

The Be Your Own Boss Bowl® (BYOBB®) Competition started in 1997 at Temple University as the “Business Plan Competition,” and has since evolved into one of the nation’s most lucrative pitch competitions for aspiring entrepreneurs. The Temple University BYOBB® has a total prize package, including cash prizes and in-kind services awards, worth over $125,000.  

The BYOBB® is open to all Temple University students, alumni, faculty, and staff from all 17 schools and colleges within the Temple University community. Participants compete in two tracks – Undergraduate Track (for current Temple U. undergraduate students) and Upper Track (Graduate students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff). 

The objective of the BYOBB® competition is to encourage the formation and launch of new small businesses and scalable entrepreneurial ventures by the Temple University community. Along the journey, participants will learn about all aspects of entrepreneurship, participate in workshops, meet with mentors, and do a deep dive into all aspects of a creating an investor pitch deck and the foundations for a successful new venture! 

Participants submit to the competition with an investor pitch deck, executive summary, and financial forecast.  

Eligibility and Guidelines

The BYOBB® is open to all Temple University students, alumni, faculty, and staff from all 17 schools and colleges within the Temple University community. Participants compete in two tracks - Undergraduate Track (for current Temple U. undergraduate students) and Upper Track (Graduate students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff).  

Participants submit to the competition with an investor pitch deck, executive summary, and financial forecast. 

Eligibility Notice:  

• Participants can enter the competition as a solopreneur or with a co-founder(s) 
• A designated team leader should be identified for each submission, and must be a Temple University degree candidate (undergraduate or graduate), alumni, faculty, or staff. The designated team leader must be a founding member of the team!  
• Submissions may include a new or an existing idea or venture.   
  • Existing ventures must be less than five years old as of January 1, 2023.  
  • Existing ventures should have raised less than $50,000 from institutional funding (includes any funding from accelerator or incubator programs, angel investors, venture groups, foundations, or grants).  
  • Existing ventures should have received less than $20,000 in funding from competitions.   
  • Existing ventures should have gross revenues of less than $100,000 as of January 1, 2023.   
• Not for profit ventures are not eligible for submission into the Be Your Own Boss Bowl®. 
• Previous First or Grand Prize BYOBB® winners are not eligible to compete with the same venture or product.  
• All finalists in the annual Be Your Own Boss Bowl® will receive non-diluted seed funding and most teams are eligible for additional in-kind service awards.  

Diamond Sponsor

Broad Street Sponsor

Angel Investor Sponsor

Crowd Funding Capital Sponsor

Pre-Seed Funder Sponsor

Workshops & Events