For the fifth year in a row, the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax is hosting The Arena pitching contest for students.

The pitching contest brings together 64 student entrepreneurs from across Canada to battle for the title of Top Innovator and a grand prize of $10,000. The runner-up wins $5,000, and third and fourth-place winners each receive $1,000.

The Arena is modelled after America’s NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) March Madness college basketball championship. The 64 selected entrepreneurs compete head-to-head in brackets from March 3 to April 1.

Students are coached throughout the month, preparing them for their month-long battle. Each match-up is treated as its own competition where pitches and judges’ determinations happen live. All matches are online and live-streamed.

“The Arena is an intense competition, and the entrepreneurial spirit of these students is contagious,” said Michael Sanderson, Director of the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre in a press release. “You see the dreams of these future entrepreneurs start to come alive.”

To qualify, participants must be current undergraduate, graduate, or PhD students or recent alumni (within one year of graduation) from a recognized post-secondary institution in Canada. They must also own or part-own a business idea that has not generated more than $10,000 in annual revenue and has not received more than $10,000 through external support or investment (through investors or other competitions).

The competition will be live-streamed on the centre’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages. SMU faculty are welcome to participate as judges.

Students must apply by February 9. Contact Fatima Zohora, fatima.zohora@smu.ca, for information.