Join us on an epic quest to find big ideas that solve every little problem.
With 11 prizes totaling $10,000 on the table and 11 ways to win, 77 Idea Quest invites you to share your creative problem-solving skills and new ideas with the Grand Valley State University community.
77 Idea Quest Overview
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PHASE 1 CREATION QUEST |
PHASE 2 FINAL QUEST |
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|---|---|---|
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What should I do? |
Create and submit slides or short video explaining your idea |
Create and deliver a final pitch |
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What's the timeline? |
Submit your idea between November- January Registration ends February 7 |
Prepare to present at our year-end celebration in March 27, 2025 |
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How am I judged? |
Average scores from non-student judges |
Average scores from non-student judges |
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Who can participate? |
All GVSU students who are eligible |
Top 7 students chosen by judges from Phase 1 |
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What do I win? |
A chance to continue in the competition |
A chance to win $3,000 |
Prizes
Finalist Awards
Awarded to the students or teams that earned the top 3 placements in the Final Quest.
1st Place - $3,000
2nd Place - $2,000
3rd Place - $1,000
College Champion Awards
Awarded to the students or teams by representatives from each college within GVSU.
Seidman College of Business - $500
College of Computing - $500
College of Education and Community Innovation - $500
Padnos College of Engineering - $500
College of Health Professions - $500
Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies - $500
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - $500
Kirkhof College of Nursing - $500
Details & Timeline
Phase 1: CREATION QUEST | November- February
In the first quest, you would tell us about a problem that bothers you or that you have noticed in your life. Then, tell us what you would create or do to solve that problem.
Share your problem and idea with us with:
- A slideshow with 5 slides or less OR
- A 2-minute or less selfie video.
You can and should include any supporting information to strengthen your problem and idea. Please follow this template for the correct submission format.
Registration closes February 7, 2025
Phase 2: PREPARATION QUEST | February - March
You made it to the second quest. During this part of the quest, CEI will put on several workshops to help you prepare for the final pitch. The information for these workshops is as follows:
- February 10, 2025, at 6 pm in the CEI office: Customer Discovery and Value
- February 17, 2025, at 6 pm in the CEI office: Go To Market and Digital Marketing
- March 10, 2025, at 6 pm in the CEI office: Financials
- March 18, 2025, at 5:30 pm in the CEI office: Legal Night with Jeff
- March 24, 2025, at 6 pm in the CEI office: Pitch Practice
Register for workshops here.
Top 7 ideas will be announced on March 10, 2025
Phase 3: FINAL QUEST | March 27, 2025
You made it to the end! Your last mission is to put together a Shark Tank-style, 5-minute pitch with slides, complete with a short Q&A at our year-end celebration event on Thursday, March 27, at the Loosemore Auditorium in DeVos. The event starts at 5pm. Coaching and assistance are available through CEI. You can also check out our Storytelling Workbook for pitching guidance.
Winners and College Champion Award will be announced at the pitch competition.
Judging Criteria
Impact (25%) - The issue is compelling and the idea clearly addresses the identified issue.
Feasibility (25%) - The idea is grounded in reality, uses existing technology, or presents a realistic plan to create new technology.
Creativity (25%) - The idea brings a brand new approach to the problem or adds a novel feature to existing technologies.
Delivery (25%) - The idea is explained with clarity through slides or video presentation. Or, is well-pitched in the Final Quest.
Rules and Eligibility
1. To be eligible for this competition, you must be:
- A student at Grand Valley State University who will be enrolled through the end of the 2025 Winter Semester.
- Present and available to participate in all three phases of the competition.
2. All ideas presented in 77 Idea Quest must be original or an original modification on an existing idea that makes it more effective at solving the identified problem.
3. Students may compete in a team of three members or less. The following rules applies to all teams:
- One student must serve as the team leader.
- All team members must be eligible for the competition and must actively participate in the whole competition.
- Students may not compete in multiple teams.
- The prize money value does not change depending on team size. The money, if won, will be split evenly between all members listed on the application.
4. Each student can only submit one entry to 77 Idea Quest per competition year.
FAQs
How do I enter?
Submit your idea here and you're in!
How much does it cost to participate in 77 Idea Quest?
Nothing!
What if I need help with my idea?
The Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation can help in every step of this competition. Be it finalizing your initial idea, assisting you with promotional materials for your campaign, and creating a winning pitch! If you need help putting a pitch together, sign up for our ideation sessions and check out our Storytelling Workbook.
Am I competing on behalf of my college?
Even though each college are giving out a College Champion Award, you are only competing for and representing yourself or your team.
Can I compete in a group?
Absolutely! You can compete in a group with up to 3 members. If your group wins, the prize money will be divided equally among all members.
How much time should I expect to put into this?
It is completely up to you! Though we suspect that winning ideas take more time to develop and promote.
Can I enter this competition as a registered LLC?
Though we love all sorts of ideas, this competition is intended for new, non-commercialized ideas.
Who is behind 77 Idea Quest?
77 Idea Quest is brought to you by the Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, located in 1127 Seidman College of Business (Downtown Grand Rapids). You can connect with us via [email protected], (616) 331-7682, or paying us a visit.