Next Up Founders Prize
Application Guide

Before you Apply

• We recommend you draft your written responses ahead of time so you can revise them and check your word counts before submitting. You can also save your progress and return to finish your application later.
• Give yourself time to plan and record your video pitch, since it should reflect the same problem, idea, and customer story you describe in your written answers.
• Each applicant completes their own individual submission, even if you are applying as part of a team.
• If you are applying with a team:
  • Every teammate must submit their own entry and list the same team name and team members so your submissions can be linked together.
  • Check in with your teammates before you start so that everyone submits the same answers to the venture and project questions, since we will review your team’s submissions together.

Application Questions

Applicant Details

• Your name, grade level, school name, school city, school state or region, school country, and preferred contact email and phone number
• Whether you are applying as an individual or with a team, and if applying with a team, your team name and teammates’ names
• A guidance counselor, teacher, or academic contact name and email
• How you heard about us

Your Venture or Project

A note on word counts: Each of the written questions below has a 150-word limit. If you answer “Yes” to accelerator or program participation, that response has its own separate 100-word limit.

• The problem: What problem is your venture or project solving, and for whom?
• The idea: Describe your venture or project or concept. What are you building?
• The AI angle: How does AI feature in your idea, as the product, the way you built it, or how you’ll reach customers?
• The customer: Who would use or buy your idea, and what have you done to show they want or need it? Tell us what you tested and what you learned.
• Why you: Why do you or your team care about this problem? What makes you positioned to build it, and why will you or your team succeed?
• Your stage: Is your venture idea-stage (concept only), already operating (built and in use), or already scaled (established revenue and growth)?
• Funding received: Has your venture or project received any outside funding, from a pitch competition, grant, crowdfunding, family or friends, or an investor? If you select any “Yes” option, you will also be asked who provided the funding, such as family or friends, a school or educational organization, a pitch or business plan competition, a grant or fellowship, crowdfunding, or an angel investor or venture capital firm.
• Accelerator or program participation: Have you or anyone on your team participated in an entrepreneurship accelerator, incubator, or similar program related to this venture or idea? If you select “Yes,” you will also be asked to name the program(s) and briefly describe the involvement.
• Social media presence: Does your venture or project have a social media presence? If you select “Yes,” you will also be asked to share the link(s), such as Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, or a website.
• Video Submission: Upload your 2 to 3 minute video pitch (MP4, MOV, or similar format).

What’s next

• Growth: If you or your team is selected, what would you do with the recognition, mentorship, and prize?
• Finals participation: If you advance to the Finals, would you be interested in pitching in person at Northeastern University’s Boston campus* during Global Entrepreneurship Week?