Showcasing innovation and entrepreneurship at Johns Hopkins
The Student Venture Showcase is your opportunity to connect with the next generation of Johns Hopkins entrepreneurs. Hosted annually each April, the showcase highlights innovative ventures led by Carey students and their peers across Johns Hopkins.
Whether you are launching a new idea, growing your existing venture, or looking for a platform to gain feedback and build connections, the Student Venture Showcase is designed to help you take your next big step.
About the showcase
Each spring, student venture teams present their ideas to a panel of judges and a live audience. Teams compete for prize money up to $25,000 to help advance their ventures, while gaining valuable exposure, feedback, and networking opportunities.
The event serves as a celebration of student innovation and entrepreneurship across Johns Hopkins University and is just as valuable for the audience. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in a VC career, is in the process of building their own startup, or simply wants to be inspired, leave with new knowledge, understanding, and excitement about the innovation coming from the Johns Hopkins vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Important dates
- Applications open: March 26, 2026, 5 p.m.
- Apply Here: Student Venture Showcase 2026 Application
- Audience registration open: March 16, 2026
- Showcase event: April 28th, 2026
Who should apply?
The Showcase is open to student-led ventures from Carey Business School and across Johns Hopkins University. Since we are highlighting the most promising startups in the Hopkins community, we especially encourage applications from teams that have participated in the Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship or other accelerators. This unique event is best suited for ventures that are well-developed and approaching readiness to seek funding.
Why should I participate?
- Gain exposure for your startup
- Receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs and industry leaders
- Network with potential investors, mentors, and fellow student founders
- Compete for prize money to help fund and grow your venture
- Join a growing community of Hopkins innovators
Read about previous winners
In an exciting outcome, NervMyo Therapeutics, was a triple winner in 2025, taking home three of the available four prizes! Founder Erica Lee successfully pitched her biotech startup to the panel of judges and the room at large, taking home the top prize as well as audience choice. Learn more about NervMyo and other competitors in the linked articles below.
- 2025 - Promising nerve therapy startup wins a triple crown, and $34k, at Carey’s Student Venture Showcase
- 2023 - Entrepreneurship with an edge: How the Student Venture Competition launches student startups
- 2024 - Pitch perfect: Student startups compete for funding at third annual Student Venture Showcase
”The Student Venture Showcase helped us prepare and boost our confidence to take Nursetech to the next level. At the showcase, not only did we get critical experience pitching, which helped us prepare for the multiple investors we've onboarded since, but we were also connected with key business partners to help accelerate our manufacturing and connect with our first eventual board member. The SVS community is truly awe inspiring, seeing and collaborating with a powerful group of aspiring entrepreneurs. It really propelled us to where we are today, with our first medical device sales, device distributors partners, and game plan for the future. If you're wondering if this is a good investment of your time, believe us, it is!"
Nursetech
Get Involved
Students
Interested in participating in the next Student Venture Showcase? Applications open in March. Check back here for more information in early 2026!
Sponsors
Interested in supporting student entrepreneurs and joining us at the Showcase? Contact us at [email protected] to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
FAQ
Each startup will have five minutes to pitch to judges, with eight minutes of questions from the judges. If selected as a finalist, groups should be prepared to submit a pre-recorded, maximum seven-minute pitch that the judges will review prior to the competition.
Experienced Venture Capitalists will be judging the competitors. Bios will be provided at the event, if not before.
The Hopstone Capital, a group of students who manage a fund and act as investors, will judge the startups for the Hopstone Award.
The audience will also vote for their chosen startup for the Audience Choice Award.
Yes.
This event is open to current students only. Teams must be significantly owned and/or led by Hopkins students.
No, travel reimbursement will not be provided.
Yes, we welcome an audience to attend. However, audience registration is required before the event. Audience registration is free and will open approximately one month before the event. More information to come in early 2026.
Johns Hopkins students/teams must have:
- A fully developed business plan
- At least one member must be a JHU student with a prominent role on the team
- Significantly owned and/or led by Hopkins students
- It is recommended, but not required, that the team have previous incubator or competition experience
The winning team will receive $25,000 to be split equally among team members. In addition, second place, Hopstone Award, and Audience Choice prizes will be awarded.
We invite six startups to the competition, with alternative choices. We ask that you only accept the invitation if you are certain you can attend. If extenuating circumstances should arise, we ask for as much notice as possible so we can prepare the alternative team.
Since we have limited space for startups, we would like to offer the opportunity to new teams.
No, there are no limitations.
Yes.
The Office of Student Affairs staff will support the process of you receiving your funds. Please note, it will take three to six weeks to receive funds.
Yes, but the startup must be significantly owned and/or led by Johns Hopkins’ students.
Yes, you are welcome to apply again.
No, we welcome a diverse variety of ventures to apply!
Contact Us
For more information or to get involved, email us at [email protected].