Innovation events
at the UW

BYOB: Build Your Own Business – Autumn/Winter Quarter
Students from any major have the opportunity to pitch an idea and receive feedback from peers and experienced mentors.

DubHacks – October
The biggest student Hackathon in the Pacific Northwest is back again this year! Create alongside the brightest students in the world as you put your pen to paper and bring your technological imaginations to life.

“Business Case in 60 Seconds” Pitch Competition – November 
Sponsored by the Entrepreneur and Venture Capital Club, this pitch event is a great way for students to connect with alumni and experienced entrepreneurs that have the resources to help turn their idea into reality. Good ideas will win cash prizes!

GIX launch project presentations/poster session – December
In collaboration with the GIX Consortium, including companies such as Microsoft, T-Mobile, Vulcan, and more, graduate students form interdisciplinary teams to develop high-impact projects that address local and global challenges.

BYOB: Build Your Own Business – Winter Quarter
Students from any major have the opportunity to pitch an idea and receive feedback from an experienced mentor and their peers.

NSF I-Corps Customer Discovery Program – Winter/Spring
For those with an idea that may have commercial potential, this program teaches skills to take ideas to market. Opportunity to win $2,500. Participants must be affiliated with a higher education or research institution in the Pacific Northwest.

Science & Technology Showcase (STS) Competition – January
The STS is presented by UW SEBA and the Buerk Center. Undergraduate and graduate students with science or technology-based ideas that have commercial potential are invited to participate in this judged poster session.

Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge (HIC) – March
This prototype competition gives students the opportunity to come up with meaningful solutions to big problems the world faces today related to health. The HIC is open to undergrads and grad students at accredited colleges and universities across the Cascadia Corridor.

Alaska Airlines Environmental Innovation Challenge (EIC) – April
For the EIC, interdisciplinary student teams define an environmental problem, develop a solution, design and build a prototype, create a business plan, and pitch to 200+ judges at a demo-day event. Open to students from colleges throughout the Cascadia Corridor.

Dempsey Startup Competition – April/May
This new venture event provides a real-world experience for student entrepreneurs, promoting student ideas and startup creation to the entrepreneurial community. Students learn venture creation by developing an idea, putting together a founding team, writing a business plan, and presenting to investors. Open to students from colleges throughout the Cascadia Corridor.

Husky AI Hackathon – May
Join students across the UW to hack AI-driven business ideas for a post-COVID world. Hosted by the Foster Tech Club.

Information School (iSchool) Capstone Sessions – May
Students in the iSchool identify an information problem/need, develop the approach and methods needed to address the problem, conduct the research and present the findings. This Capstone event gives students the opportunity to present their projects to faculty, friends, family, colleagues, and sponsors as well as a panel of judges to be considered for a number of awards.

Undergraduate Research Symposium – May
Undergraduates present what they have learned through their research experiences, and in turn the event provides a forum for students, faculty, and the community to discuss cutting edge research topics and to examine the connection between research and education.

College of Engineering Industry Capstone Showcase – May and June
The Industry Capstone Showcase brings together UW students and companies to tackle real-world, multidisciplinary engineering problems. Student teams spend two quarters working through a full cycle design process and present their work in this final showcase.

Engineering Innovation in Health (EIH) Spring Symposium – May or June
The EIH program promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between engineering and the health sciences with the goal of developing technical solutions to pressing challenges in health care. This Symposium highlights the culmination of work in this intensive, three-quarter design sequence.

Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) Capstone Showcase – June
The HCDE Capstone Showcase welcomes students, future students, alumni, Corporate Affiliates Program members, and friends to view the Capstone Projects from graduating HCDE bachelor’s and master’s students.

CoMotion “Fundamentals for Startups” – Weekly during academic year

A weekly series featuring notable experts who share startup-related information, experience, and wisdom with our entrepreneurial community. Open to the public.