College Track competition 

 The Hawk Tank College Track supports college students as they explore, test, and pitch an original business idea. Participants develop a business plan, receive feedback from experienced professionals, and compete for cash prizes that can help move an idea toward launch. Business plans from nearly any industry are welcome, with limited exceptions. 

Who this track is for 

The College Track is open to: 

  • Fort Lewis College students 
  • San Juan College students 
  • Individuals or teams of up to five students 

Each team must have at least one full-time, matriculated student from the appropriate institution serving as the team leader. Individuals may participate on only one team. Faculty members from Fort Lewis College and San Juan College are not eligible to participate. 

Prizes and awards 

College Track participants compete for cash prizes awarded to top-placing teams. 

  • 1st place: $5,000 
  • 2nd place: $2,500 
  • 3rd place: $1,000 

In addition, the first-place team from Fort Lewis College competes against the first-place team from San Juan College for an additional $5,000 award. A winning team may earn up to $10,000 to help launch their business! 

What you’ll do 

College Track participants will: 

  • develop a complete business plan 
  • evaluate market potential and feasibility 
  • refine a value proposition and growth strategy 
  • gain experience pitching ideas to entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders 

The competition emphasizes learning, iteration, and real-world business skills.

  • Eligibility overview
  • How to participate
  • Support and resources
Eligibility overview

To participate in the College Track: 

  • At least one member must be a full-time matriculated student at the participating institution. 
  • Team leader (i.e., “President”) must be a student at the appropriate institution (Fort Lewis College or San Juan College). 
  • Individuals may be members of only one team. 
  • New ventures must be less than one year old and may not have received prior external funding (e.g., financial institutions, venture capital firms, etc.). 
  • Businesses in the marijuana industry are not eligible. 
  • Faculty are not eligible to participate (Fort Lewis College faculty for FLC teams; San Juan College faculty for SJC teams).

Register for Hawk Tank Submit your business plan

View events and workshops

How to participate
  1. Register for Hawk Tank.
  2. Attend workshops and preparation sessions (optional but strongly encouraged).
  3. Submit a written business plan and one-minute video pitch. Detailed submission requirements, formatting guidelines, and deadlines are available on the Submit Your Business Plan page. 
Support and resources

Participants have access to developmental support throughout the competition, including workshops, mentorship opportunities, and connections to regional business resources. 

Support may include: 

Hawk Tank Mentor Program 

  • Studio G — Arrowhead Center 
  • American Indian Business Enterprise Center (AIBE) 
  • The Big Idea @ San Juan College Makerspace 
  • Fort Lewis College Beta Alpha Psi 
  • San Juan College Small Business Development Center 
  • Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center 
  • Fort Lewis College Center for Innovation 

Workshop topics may include: 

  • Business plans 101 
  • Presenting your business idea 
  • Market analysis 
  • Revenue forecasting 
  • Costs, cash, and capital 
  • Accounting for startups 
  • Competition analysis 

Mentor participation is optional and based on availability. 

Guidelines for all participants

The following guidelines apply to all Hawk Tank competition tracks
Finals presentation requirement (all tracks)