The HBCU STEMULATION program is designed for HBCU students to use current intellectual properties (IP’s) in an effort to create disruptive startup business opportunities. The program will also highlight technologies that were once non-commercial concepts that are now being used in a commercial business environment.

HBCU Stemulation “Hackathons” will pit teams of HBCU students in a competition to find great startup business opportunities. The competitions focus on discovering a market opportunity and creating an innovative business model to address it. There is no written business plan. No financial projections. No investor pitch. It is all about your team working together to define a compelling startup. Most of the hackathons will be filmed and conducted via online competitions.

The HBCU Stemulation hackathons are open to all HBCU students including engineers, architects, computer scientists, business students… the entire HBCU student population is welcome to participate. We are strongly encouraging inter-disciplinary teams.

The hackathons will have a designated start-stop time period during each semester. Special edition hackathons will also be conducted at various times of the year. Teams will have an announced formal application period in which team participants must be listed and identified through school contacts.