Published January 13, 2023
MONROE, LA 鈥� The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is now accepting applications for the 2023 competition.
This event is the premier academic business plan competition for the state of Louisiana.
Applications can be submitted at听 The deadline for applications is February 26. 听
Open to all majors with one of the largest cash prizes in the nation, The Entrepreneurship
Pelican Cup is an opportunity for students to develop critical thinking, team building,
presentation, and other soft skills, which are all important to career growth.听 听
The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup is open to any full- or part-time, certificate- or
degree-seeking student currently enrolled at the University of Louisiana Monroe, Edward
Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Louisiana State University Shreveport
(LSUS), Centenary College of Louisiana, Northwestern State University, Grambling State
University, or Louisiana Tech University.听听
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.听听听
This year鈥檚 awards luncheon will be held Friday, April 21 at 11:30 a.m. at Bayou Pointe
Event Center on the 蜜桔直播 campus. 听
This year鈥檚 cash prizes include:听
First Place听 听 听 $25,000听
Second Place听 $15,000听
Third Place听 听 听 $10,000听
Elevator Pitch听 $2,000 听
First, Second, and Third Place faculty advisors to receive $3,000. 听听
For more information about the 2023 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, including a full
list of dates and requirements,听visit You can also contact Cathi Hemed, Director of External Initiatives, at (318) 342-1151
or hemed@ulm.edu.听
Now in its second year, The Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup was founded by distinguished
蜜桔直播 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.听听听
