Big Problem Challenge

The Woltemade Big Problem Challenge

A competition for all OWU students

Problem background: The United Nations has outlined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as an aspirational vision for a better future for people worldwide. These goals encompass challenges related to food systems, sanitation, energy, infrastructure and much more. Each of the goals involves a variety of challenges that are ripe for entrepreneurs to solve.

Your challenge: Use entrepreneurial thinking to create a plan that could address one of the SDGs. Your proposal may interact with existing regulation and programs, but viability should not depend on new government intervention or assistance. You will pitch your plan in a five-minute presentation to a panel of judges with expertise in social enterprise at the Woltemade Big Problem Challenge competition in Spring 2025. Students may compete as individuals or teams with up to four members. The competition is open to students from all departments, and teams with students from multiple departments may benefit from an interdisciplinary understanding of their particular problem and proposed solution.

Prizes: $3,000 to the first-place team, $1,500 to the second-place team, and $750 to the third-place team. Note that these prize amounts are for the entire team, not individual team members (unless you are competing as an individual).

Criteria: Your plan will be judged in terms of:

  • Feasibility: Is it realistic that you could get this idea off the ground? Although you may pitch a proposal on your own, working with a well-rounded team of fellow OWU students will improve your chances of success.

  • Sustainability: Does you plan have the financial means to sustain itself into the future (its success should not be dependent on donations, grants, or other public funds - there is a business model)?

  • Adoption: Do you have a clear plan to encourage and grow public adoption of your solution?

  • Impact: What impact do you expect your solution to achieve, and how will you measure it?

  • Research: What research has the team done in development of the plan?

Important Dates 

Submission Deadline: February 14, 2025

Competition Date: February 27, 2025

Apply Here

Eligibility

  • All Ohio Wesleyan students are eligible to apply for the Pitch OWU. All majors are encouraged to apply!
  • All members of the presenting team must be currently enrolled students at OWU (earning credit toward a degree).
  • Teams are not eligible if their business has earned more than $50,000 in revenue.
  • The ownership makeup of ventures eligible for the competition is restricted to current students.
  • Students must explain in the pitch how they intend to acquire sufficient rights to intellectual property, if the university or another entity owns the patent or research that supports their business model.
  • If you competed in the Pitch OWU Competition or Big Problem Challenge previously, you may apply again to compete with a new business idea. 

Examples: You can view last year's Big Problem Challenge (which was focused on water quality in Ohio) online here.

Existing Ideas: You are welcome and enouraged to pitch your own ideas. However, you may also create your pitch around one of these existing concepts which you believe could be used to address one of the SDGs. These concepts are based on available intellectual property and technology that has already been developed by researchers at The Ohio State University. These concepts have not yet been spun into viable businesses. They are availbe for licensing to entrepreneurs who have a strong plan. You and your team are invited to develop your pitch around one of these concepts, and if you wish, may then persue the idea in earnest by seeking a licensing agreement. Contact Matt Vollrath at mdvollra@owu.edu to learn more about these opportunities.