By: Ailyn Quiroz, Staff Writer 

VSU students and local high school students can win a total of up to $20,000 in cash prizes by participating in a business competition that takes place this spring. 

 The J. Donald Lee Center for Entrepreneurship and the College of Business Administration have launched the 2026 Business Plan Competition where students get to build and showcase their business ideas while gaining real-world skills in the entrepreneurial field. 

 The registration date for the contest is Feb. 15. 

Participants must form teams of at least two to four members, with VSU students encouraged to partner with at least one Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration student. 

 “The competition at its core is an experiential learning opportunity,” said Dr. Byeonghwa Park, associate professor of management and director of J. Donald Lee Center.“So, students don’t just submit ideas on paper. They go through a structured process where students research a problem, develop a solution, think through the market, and then eventually present that idea to a group of judges at the final stage.” .  

 Along with registration, participants must also submit their executive summaries, which is a simple overview of their business plan. 

Semi-finalists teams will be notified on March 1 with March 22 being the deadline for the submission of their full business plan.  Finalists will be notified on March 30. The final pitch event will be held at VSU’s Pound Hall on April 17,. where team finalists will pitch their business plan to be judged, and the top teams can win up to $20,000 in total cash prizes. 

 “When judges evaluate the participants, they focus on feasibility, their understanding of the market and how well the team understands the problem they are trying to solve,” said Dr. Park. 

“That’s what our judges will be looking for, so we are not looking for the perfect idea. We are not looking for a fully ready business model. We also pay attention to how they respond to feedback because entrepreneurship is very much about learning and adapting.”  

 Last year’s competition had many participants with multiple VSU and high school students, but Dr. Park hopes that its success will encourage other students to join. Flyers about the competition have been scattered around campus and local high schools.  

 There will be an info session on Feb. 9 at 5 p.m., to learn more about the competition before or after registering. 

 Participants will learn how to write their executive summaries, how to build their business plan, and can ask any questions about the competition. 

Students can also learn about the competition through VSU’s website, search for the 2026 Business Plan Competition, or email jdlcenter@valdosta.edu for any other questions regarding the competition.