Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finals 2026

The Forty Acres Founders Program is a semester long practicum offered by the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center designed to help student founders establish product-market fit for their ideas and launch businesses from a position of strength, increasing the number of successful and scalable businesses launched from The University of Texas at Austin.

After an intense semester of honing their concepts, founders submit their pitch to earn a spot in the Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition to compete for $20,000 in grant funding. During the competition, students have the opportunity to hone their business strategy, get professional feedback on their pitches, and form lasting relationships with mentors in the Texas entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At The University of Texas at Austin, we believe that what starts here changes the world!

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PRIZES

1st Place - $10,000

2nd Place - $5,000

3rd Place - $3,000

4th Place - $2,000

Elevator Pitch Award - $1,000

Audience Choice Awards - $500 each

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WHEN

Thursday, April 23, 2026

Competition: 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. CT

Reception: 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. CT

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WHERE

Robert B. Rowling Hall, McCombs School of Business

Competition: Crum Auditorium

Reception: 1st floor Atrium

300 West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Austin, TX, 78705

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FINALISTS

TBA

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FINALS JUDGES

TBA

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ELEVATOR PITCH JUDGES

TBA

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Host or Publisher Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship