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Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup now accepting applications for 2024 competition

Published February 1, 2024

Pelican Cup 2024

MONROE, LA 鈥 The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is now accepting applications for the 2024 competition. This event is the premier academic business plan competition for the state of Louisiana, with one of the largest cash prizes in the nation. Applications can be submitted at听 The application link can be found inside the competition guide. The deadline for applications is February 25.听

Open to all majors, the goal of The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is to inspire participants and the community to think entrepreneurially by rewarding creativity, professionalism, and hard work.

The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is open to any full- or part-time, certificate- or degree-seeking student currently enrolled in a four-year college or university in the state of Louisiana.

The competition requires a written formal business plan judged by business owners and investors.听 Six finalists will be chosen to conduct an in-person oral presentation to top-tier entrepreneurs.听 Also, during the awards luncheon, each team will select one member to conduct a 90-second 鈥淓levator Pitch,鈥 and the winner will receive a cash award.听听

This year鈥檚 awards luncheon will be held Friday, April 19 at 11:30 a.m. at Bayou Pointe Event Center on the 四色AV campus.听

This year鈥檚 cash prizes include:

First Place听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听$50,000

Second Place听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 $25,000

Third Place听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听$10,000

Elevator Pitch Winner听 $2,000

First, Second, and Third Place faculty advisors to receive $3,000.听

For more information about the 2024 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, including a full list of dates and requirements, visit You can also contact Cathi Hemed, Director of External Initiatives, at (318) 342-1151 or hemed@ulm.edu.

Now in its third year, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished 四色AV alumnus Dhu Thompson. Thompson is the founder, past owner, and former chairman of the board for Delta Plastics, producer of agricultural irrigation tubing, and the largest recycler of plastics in Arkansas. He is also the former owner and past chairman of the board for Revolution Bag that manufactures EPA-compliant trashcan liners. Thompson鈥檚 honors include 2004 Arkansas Business Executive of the Year and SBA Person of the Year. In 2019 he sold the Revolution brands to a New York private equity firm and now focuses on entrepreneurship growth in Arkansas and Louisiana.听听