Purdue University Northwest invites entrepreneurs to compete in 2026 PNW Big Sell

Purdue University Northwest invites entrepreneurs to compete in 2026 PNW Big Sell

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) invites entrepreneurs and innovators to submit business concepts for the 2026 PNW Big Sell pitch competition, where participants will compete for several prizes in seed funding.

Interested presenters can submit a two-minute video pitch now through March 22 at noon CST by visiting pnw.edu/big-sell. Up to ten finalists will be selected to join the 2026 PNW Big Sell on May 2, 2026, where innovators will present their ideas live at PNW’s Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center.

Hosted by the PNW College of Business, the PNW Big Sell provides aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to gain experience presenting their ideas, receive feedback from business professionals and connect with the regional startup community.

“Over the past 10 years, we have grown the number of participants, but we have also grown the number of students helping make the event a success,” said Alexandra Moran, assistant professor of practice in Management. “We have had participants from student startups as well as community startups who have gone on to raise millions of dollars of venture capital and have used the PNW Big Sell as their launch pad.”

Seed funding prizes for the PNW Big Sell pitch competition include:

• First place: $10,000
• Second place: $3,000
• Third place: $1,000

Last year, the PNW Big Sell received over 100 submissions, highlighting growing interest in entrepreneurship across the region.

Individuals interested in participating can learn more and apply at pnw.edu/big-sell.

About Purdue University Northwest

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a student-centered university that transforms lives through innovative education, impactful research and community engagement. Located in Northwest Indiana, near Chicago, PNW is recognized as a First Gen Forward Network Leader and an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. PNW advances the socioeconomic mobility of its students and positively impacts regional development. For more information, visit pnw.edu.