RBC UNBeatable Ideas Competition
Supported by RBC
Entrepreneurship starts with an idea — and we want to hear yours! We also want to help you take those ideas to the next level!
All you have to do is send us a one-minute (60 seconds) video of you presenting (pitching) your idea.
- Submission Deadline: December 1, 2023
- Voting Period: TBA
- Winner announcement: TBA
How to qualify
1. Upload your pitch to YouTube
Upload a 1-minute video of you pitching your idea on YouTube. Set the video to "unlisted" if you wish to not be considered for the Viewers' Choice Award.
2. Fill out the application form
Fill out the application form before 11:59 pm (ADT) on Dec. 1, 2023, with a link to your video.
Prizes
A total of up to three (3) cash prizes are up for grabs:
- 1st place prize: $1,000
- 2nd place prize: $750
- Viewers' Choice Award: $500
Eligibility
The UNBeatable Ideas Contest is open to all full-time University of New Brunswick students (undergraduate and graduate, Fredericton and Saint John). You may enter as an individual participant or as part of a student team. A student may only participate in ONE entry, that is, either as an individual or a member of a team. The UNBeatable Ideas Competition welcomes ideas of any kind, including:
- Products or services: New products, services or innovations that meet a need in the marketplace or improvements on existing products or services.
- Social or environmental problems: Ideas that will improve or eliminate a societal problem, including solutions to environmental concerns.
- Engagement in the arts: Creative ways to engage more people in the arts, increasing appreciation for the arts and their importance in society, making art more accessible or ideas for commercializing art.
- Commercializing UNB research: Creative commercial applications of research performed by faculty and/or students.
- Improvements to the campus or campus life: Innovative ideas that would enrich the student experience or that will save UNB money.
Ideas must be new and innovative, you cannot have received funding in excess of $500 for this idea in the past or have business operations extending for more than three months prior to Nov. 20, 2023. The organizers of the contest (JHSC) reserve the right to pre-screen entries for eligibility and appropriateness.
Team entries must consist of at least 50 per cent UNB students.
Entries with explicit content(s) will not be entertained or allowed to participate.
Entries affecting any religious harmonies will be restricted.
All applications must be received within the stipulated deadline; no extensions will be provided to any participant.
Judging process
Judging will be performed by a panel of judges (seasoned business professionals and academics).
The scoring will be based on the following criteria:
- definition of the problem and opportunity;
- solution to the problem/opportunity;
- impact of the solution;
- feasibility;
- presentation style.
Resources
There are lots of resources online to help you prepare a one-minute pitch, often referred to as an "elevator pitch" in the start-up community.
- Craft a short and precise elevator pitch
- How to write an effective elevator pitch
- How to break down an elevator pitch
Apply now
Past UNBeatable Ideas winners
2019
- First Place: Pique Analytics
- Runner up: i-Welcome App
- Viewers’ Choice: The Outlast
2018
- 1st Place: GoSolar
- 2nd Place: Canum Nanomaterials Inc.
- 3rd Place: H2gr0
- Viewer’s Choice: WSS Turbine
2017
- 1st Place: Potential Motors
- 2nd Place: LivePlus
- 3rd Place: AllerEats
- Viewer’s Choice: AllerEats
2016
- 1st place: Lis Strip
- 2nd place: Project Qi
- 3rd place: Portals
- Viewers' choice: Project Qi
