$12,000 Diamond Challenge Pitch Competition
- Organization: Diamond Challenge, Horn Entrepreneurship, University of Delaware
- Type: Competition
- Location: Global
- Deadline: January 14, 2027
- Age: 14 to 18
- Funding: Partially Funded
The Diamond Challenge is a free business and social innovation competition for high school students, run by Horn Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware. Teams of two to four students from any country develop an original venture idea, submit a short written concept and a 60 second video, then pitch at a partner event or by video. Finalists compete in person at the Limitless World Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, for a share of a $100,000 prize pool. **What you get:** - Grand prizes in each of two tracks, business innovation and social innovation: $12,000 for first place, $8,000 for second and $4,500 for third - Topical prizes, including the Gore Innovation Excellence Prize, the Horn Entrepreneurship Global Prize, the Human Flourishing Award and a waste and recycling innovation prize - Prize money paid to the team's registered venture or split evenly between team members - Judges' feedback after the submission and pitching rounds, plus free curriculum, workshops and monthly Spark Sessions - For finalists, a place at the Limitless World Summit, 29 to 30 April 2027, in Wilmington, Delaware **What you'll do:** - Pick a track (business innovation or social innovation) and a pitch format (live pitch event or pre-recorded video) - Submit a 3 to 5 page written concept narrative and a 60 second introductory video by 14 January 2027 - If you advance, give a 5 minute pitch with 3 minutes of judges' questions, at one of 23 partner events worldwide or by video - If you are a finalist, pitch again in person at the Limitless World Summit in Delaware **Key dates:** - Submission window opened 16 September 2026 - Submissions close 14 January 2027 at 5:00pm EST - Pitching round invitees notified 10 February 2027 - Pitch events 16 February to 7 March 2027; virtual pitch videos due 16 February 2027 at 11:59pm EST - Finalists announced 9 March 2027 - Limitless World Summit: 29 to 30 April 2027, Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington, Delaware **More information:** - Full rules for the 2026 to 2027 season: https://horn.udel.edu/hubfs/2027%20Diamond%20Challenge/26-27%20Diamond%20Challenge%20Rules.pdf - Participant toolkit with resources and dates: https://horn.udel.edu/participant-toolkit-2627
