Libro Business Plan Challenge

Unleash Your Potential

Present your innovative business plan to industry professionals and transform classroom concepts into real-world opportunities. This is your platform to make your entrepreneurial vision extraordinary

Make It Happen

Receive personalized feedback, pitch practice, and mentoring from successful entrepreneurs, business consultants, and faculty leaders throughout the competition process

Win More Than Prizes

Beyond the cash awards, gain invaluable pitch experience, expand your professional network, and build credibility in the business community regardless of placement

Take a Chance

Make the 2026 Libro Business Plan Challenge a defining chapter in your path to success. Many past winners have gone on to build thriving businesses from their competition concepts

How The Challenge Works

The Libro Business Plan Competition happens in two exciting rounds designed to help you sharpen your story, validate your idea, and pitch like a pro.

Round 1: Submit Your Video Pitch

Start by creating a 5-minute pre-recorded video pitch that introduces you and clearly explains your business concept.

Think of this as your chance to:

Share the problem you’re solving
Show why your solution matters
Highlight your market opportunity
Demonstrate why you are the right person to build it

Deadline: March 7, 2026 at 11:59 PM

View Video Pitch Requirements

Prep Your Pitch Workshop (Highly Recommended)

Want feedback, tips, and insider guidance before you record?

Join our Prep Your Pitch Workshop where we’ll walk you through:

The judging & scoring rubric
How to craft a clear, compelling pitch
Slide deck best practices
Common mistakes to avoid
Live Q&A with our team

Date: February 17 | 1:00 PM

Location: Room F1043

Register for the workshop

Can’t attend? No problem — check out our recording.

What happens next?

Our review panel will evaluate all submissions and select 10 finalists, who will be notified by March 11, 2026.

Round 2: Live Finalist Presentations

Finalists move on to present their business live to a panel of experienced industry professionals.

You’ll deliver a 10-minute business plan presentation + Q&A to a panel of 3 – 5 pitch judges.

Presentation Date: April 1, 2026

To help you succeed, finalists receive:

Dedicated coaching sessions
Presentation feedback
Strategy refinement support
Tools and resources to strengthen your business case
Coaching runs March 16–27, 2026

We don’t just want you to compete, we want you to show up confident, polished, and ready to win.

Prizes and Awards

Dreaming of funds to kickstart your business or looking to lighten the load on your student budget? We've got you covered.

Compete for over $4000 in Cash and In-Kind Prizes that could turn your business dreams into reality.

Every finalist leaves with a prize!

1500

CAD

FIRST PLACE

1000

CAD

SECOND PLACE

500

CAD

THIRD PLACE

250

CAD

PEOPLE's CHOICE AWARD

Cash prize sponsored by Libro Credit Union

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Resources to Help You Succeed

A person stands behind a podium with a laptop and microphone, presenting in front of a projected image of a greenhouse interior.

Enhance Your Video Pitch Workshop

Join our interactive workshop and unlock insider tips to ace Round 1 of the 2026 Libro Business Plan Challenge!

Discover exactly what judges look for, how you’ll be scored, and proven techniques to transform your big idea into a compelling pitch.

Attend Prep Your Pitch Workshop

View Workshop Recording

Competition Prep Resources

Need help developing your pitch, business plan, or video submission? Access our comprehensive resource library designed to help you create winning competition entries.

View All Competition Resources

Eligibility & Requirements

Who Can Participate

All current Fanshawe College students (full-time and part-time)
Individual entrepreneurs or teams (maximum 3 members)
Any industry or business type
Both new business ideas and existing early-stage ventures

Video Pitch Requirements (Round 1)

Ready to record your pitch video? Make sure you follow these requirements to ensure your submission is eligible:

Your video must follow the Scoring Rubric Format outlined below.
All individuals in the video must submit a signed Video/Photography Release Waiver for the submission to be considered.
Your video must be submitted as a YouTube Link or as a .MP4, MPEG, OR AVI file.
Your video presentation must show both you and your visuals (slide deck, videos, pictures, etc.).
Presentations must comply with the Student Code of Conduct.
Your video file must be no more than 1GB in size.
Your video must be no more than 5 minutes in length. Any submission over 5 minutes will not be accepted.
Your video must not contain any copyrighted music, photos, or videos without permission or providing credit to the artist.

Video Pitch Tips:

Plan your content to fit the 5-minute limit while addressing all criteria
Use visual aids effectively to support your key points
Practice multiple times to appear confident and natural
Ensure good lighting and audio quality in your recording
Review successful video pitches from past competitions for inspiration

Video Pitch Scoring Rubric (Round 1)

This scoring rubric applies specifically to the initial 5-minute video pitch submission due by February 26th. Understanding these criteria will help you create a compelling video that advances you to the final round.

Important: Your video pitch must be no longer than 5 minutes. Submissions exceeding this time limit will not be considered.

1. Brief Introduction (10 Marks)

Who you are (~2 marks)
What your business is and what you're selling (~3 marks)
Who your target market is (~3 marks)
Your motivation for starting this business (~2 marks)

2. Target Market (15 Marks)

The problem, opportunity, or need you've identified (~5 marks)
Detailed target market profile (~5 marks)
Your potential customer's pain points (~5 marks)

3. Market Opportunity and Demand (10 Marks)

Evidence of demand for your product/service - data-backed (~5 marks)
Potential market size and value (~5 marks)

4. Solution (15 Marks)

Features of your product/service - what it does and how it works (~5 marks)
Benefits - how it solves problems and provides value to customers (~5 marks)
Pricing strategy and what you'll charge (~5 marks)

5. Marketing Strategy (10 Marks)

How you'll attract and retain customers
Planned marketing activities and rationale (~10 marks)

6. Wrap Up (10 Marks)

Brief summary of major points (~5 marks)
Close with an ask (~5 marks)

7. Bonus Marks and Wow Factor (10 Marks)

Confidence throughout the pitch (~1 mark)
Eye contact & body language (~1 mark)
Cohesiveness and logical flow (~3 marks)
Overall "WOW!" factor that impresses the judges (~5 marks)

Total: 80 Marks

Download Complete Video Pitch Scoring Rubric

Final Presentation Requirements (Round 2)

Finalists selected to move forward will present to our judging panel on April 1nd, 2026:

10-minute live presentation
5-minute Q&A with judges
Professional business attire
Supporting materials as needed

Not sure if you qualify for this contest or want to learn more?

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See What Makes a Winning Pitch

Watch presentations from past finalists to grab some inspiration, understand what catches the judges' attention, and how to structure your pitch effectively.