Launching Ventures Beyond the Classroom

VENTURE COLLEGE

As part of the College of Innovation + Design, Venture College cultivates and supports entrepreneurship at Boise State to economically empower the campus community. Our programs allow students to pursue new ideas and launch ventures.

Video Placeholder Image — Launch Your Venture

Open to Students Statewide

Pitch Challenges

Venture College hosts several statewide competitions throughout the year to help fuel Idaho’s next generation of entrepreneurs.

Application Deadlines

Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge
2025 Applications are now closed!

Hackfort Tech Challenge
2025 Applications are now closed!

Tech Challenge – NEW!
TBD – Fall 2025

HealthTech Challenge
TBD – Fall 2025

Hacking for Homebuilding
TBD – Spring 2026

Open to All Academic Backgrounds

Training Opportunities

Whether you have an idea you’re ready to launch or want to join up with other startups, Venture College can help.

Spring Calendar

Alumni Testimonials

Tobi Popoola, Founder of Liveldy

“The semester long training at Venture College covered: understanding problems, developing products and services to solve these problems, and having these products and services generate revenue. The experience with mentors in the Venture College has been invaluable. I would recommend Venture College to anyone looking to venture into entrepreneurship.”

Venture College Programs

Venture College Incubator (Spring 2020)
Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge: President’s Award Recipient + Runner-up in Health and Wellness Track (2020)

Lumineye group members holding a check for $12,000

Megan Lacy, Co-Founder + CEO of Lumineye

“Venture College and the Venture College Grant Program helped Lumineye get off the ground, and make the shift from idea to prototype. Venture College was the first group to truly believe in us and encourage us to continue to pursue our venture, even when it seemed improbable that we would be successful. . . The Venture College experience is valuable to all students, not just students that want to be entrepreneurs. The skillsets learned from trying to create your own venture can be applied to any job and help better prepare graduates for the ‘real world’.”

Venture College Programs

Venture College Incubator (Fall 2017)
Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge Award Recipient (2018)
Venture College Grant Recipient

Jill + Justin Bertelsen, Founders of Bertelsen Education

“Through the generosity of the Venture College at Boise State University, we have been able to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to get our business off the ground. Thanks to BSU’s help, we can better fulfill our mission of providing high quality continuing education credits to child care providers.”

Venture College Programs

Venture College Incubator (Spring 2020)
Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge Award Recipients, Local Services Track Winners (2020)
Venture College Grant Program Recipients

Anne Madden, Founder + Physical Therapist at Proximity Telehealth

“I was fortunate enough to take part in the Mission43 Entrepreneur Course. . . Through the Venture College Grant Program, ability to pitch to the Idaho business community, and resources from the Venture College, I now have a profitable business. As a result, we are hiring Idahoans and serving the rural communities of Idaho with much needed medical and school related services. The Venture College Grant Program gave me the financial support to go all-in on my business and turn it into what it is today.”

Venture College Programs

Mission43 Entrepreneur Course Participant
Venture College Grant Program Recipient

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College of Innovation + Design

The Venture College is a program within the College of Innovation + Design (CI+D).

Learn More about CI+D

VENTURE COLLEGE

Pitch Challenges

Application Deadlines

High School Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge

Idaho Entrepreneur Challenge (IEC)

Hackfort Tech Challenge

Hacking for Homebuilding

Tech Challenge

Health Tech Challenge

Training Opportunities

Venture College Incubator

National Science Foundation Innovation Corps

Spring Calendar

Alumni Testimonials

Tobi Popoola, Founder of Liveldy

Venture College Programs

Megan Lacy, Co-Founder + CEO of Lumineye

Venture College Programs

Jill + Justin Bertelsen, Founders of Bertelsen Education

Venture College Programs

Anne Madden, Founder + Physical Therapist at Proximity Telehealth

Venture College Programs

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College of Innovation + Design

Venture College