StartUp Humboldt Opens $200,000 Competition to Boost Local Entrepreneurs

About

The StartUp Humboldt competition offers a total of $200,000 in milestone grants to support local entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses in the greater Humboldt area, providing extensive training, mentorship, and incubation resources to foster sustainable and impactful economic growth.

Benefits

• 💰 Financial Support
• Total prize pool of $200,000 based on milestone grants.
• 🎓 Mentorship Program
• Access to structured guidance and one-on-one expert mentoring.
• 🏢 Business Development Support
• Participants receive tailored business development support through university-led training and mentoring.
• 🎤 Exposure Opportunities
• Finalists will present at a final pitch event in April 2026.
• 🚀 Incubation Support
• Winning teams may receive up to 120 days of incubation support, including workspace and networking resources.

Eligibility Criteria

• 🌍 Geographic Eligibility
• Teams must be located in or commit to relocating to the greater Humboldt area.
• 💼 Business Stage
• Open to aspiring entrepreneurs with less than $1,000 in sales or early-stage businesses with sales between $0 and $1 million.
• 👥 Team Requirements
• Teams must consist of no more than five members.
• 💰 Financial Requirements
• Cumulative investment must not exceed $250,000 by January 1, 2026.
• 🎓 Age Requirement
• Participants must be at least 18 years old.

Participation Commitments

• 📍 Physical Attendance
• Finalists must attend the final pitch event in person.
• ⏰ Time Commitment
• Participants are expected to engage fully in the training and mentoring programs provided.

Target Region

Greater Humboldt area in California

Target Sector

Open to all industries, focusing on innovative and scalable businesses