The NVC is an entrepreneurial program for UCSB students. The competition provides participants with the opportunity to learn how ideas can be taken from evaluation through to establishing a successful and sustainable new business.

The students work in multidisciplinary teams under the guidance of many experienced advisors and mentors who provide insight into the key elements of new ventures, including industry analysis, product marketing, operations management, accounting and finance, raising funding, and legal and intellectual property issues, amongst many other aspects.

The intensive program focuses on participants learning from experience. Students submit ideas for new ventures, and those with the most compelling business cases are selected for progression. The teams develop a business plan and present their ideas in a trade-show format to a large group of attendees from the local business, investment and academic community. A small number of teams are then chosen to pitch their business ideas on stage at the NVC finals in front of a live audience and a set of independent judges. The Dow Chemical Company contributes to the $75,000 in prizes and seed capital that is awarded by the judges, and a number of past winners have used the NVC as a platform for launching successful ventures. Read more>>

	aPeel Technology 2012 winner, aPeel Technology, has incorporated and is currently in talks with venture capitalists for its edible polymer for extending the shelf life of perishables. It has also received a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) initiative. Read more>>
	NextEnergy Technologies 2011 winner NextEnergy has raised venture capital for its polymer solar cell technology and is beginning commercialization of its breakthrough semiconducting inks for organic photovoltaic devices. Read more>>