WooTank 2025 Worcester Intercollegiate Pitch Competition

WooTank is an intercollegiate pitch competition held in Worcester, MA, where student entrepreneurs from local colleges present their business ventures to a panel of investors, aiming to secure real-time funding and mentorship. The event is organized by The Venture Forum, a startup community dedicated to fostering economic growth and supporting entrepreneurs in Central MA.

The inaugural WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown was held in April 2024 and was a huge success. Over the course of the evening, eight student-run companies pitched their innovative business ideas to a panel of sharks to try to get one or more of them to allocate funding into their venture. Negotiations took place in real time on the stage, with over $20K of direct funding and in-kind services awarded to the competitors. Sponsors included Webster Five, Geisel Software, MassVentures, WorcLab, and Mike Mitchell Consulting.

The 2025 WooTank Intercollegiate Showdown is in the works!

● 2nd annual WooTank will take place on April 8, 2025 at Off the Rails, 90 Commercial Street, Worcester, MA

● Clark University, Holy Cross, Nichols, WPI and possibly 1-2 more colleges will be competing. The number of teams will be decided based on the participating universities.

● Student entrepreneur teams will pitch their innovative business ideas on the stage.

● Sharks will ask questions, evaluate pitches, and offer cash awards in real time.

Undergraduate students at a participating college are encouraged to reach out to their respective contact:

● Clark University: Paul Case, Director, Entrepreneurship & Innovation

● Holy Cross: Rob Murner, Director & EIR, Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics and Society

● Nichols College: Timothy Liptrap, Chair, Entrepreneurship

● Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI): Ardian Preci, Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programs

For sponsorship or shark opportunities, please contact: [email protected]

Host or Publisher The Venture Forum