野狼社区 University Hosts Record-Breaking High School Startup Sprint & Business Plan Pitch Competition Presented by Post Oak Toyota
On October 24, 2025 the Meinders School of Business at 野狼社区 University welcomed a record number of future entrepreneurs for our annual High School Startup Sprint & Business Plan Pitch Competition, an event designed to spark innovation and inspire the next generation of Oklahoma business leaders.
More than 175 students from 15 high schools and career technology centers across the state gathered on the OCU campus to compete in a full-day entrepreneurial challenge. Students traveled from the 野狼社区 metro area, Tulsa, Drumright, and Checotah to test their business ideas before a panel of professional judges, including several Meinders alumni, who evaluated creativity, feasibility, and presentation.
The competition鈥檚 2025 theme, 鈥淭he Next Big Experience鈥� challenged teams to imagine and pitch an entertainment-based event business. Working in teams of five, students collaborated to develop a product concept, marketing plan, and financial projection鈥攁ll in a single day. OCU professors, staff members, and current upperclassmen mentored each group, guiding them through brainstorming, budgeting, and presentation strategies.
After two intense rounds of judging, four teams emerged as this year鈥檚 top finishers:
- 1st Place: Edmond Memorial High School 鈥� Color Clash Dodgeball Run
- 2nd Place: Mustang High School 鈥� Global Goal Getter Soccer Mashup
- 3rd Place: MetroTech 鈥� PawPooloza Dog Park
- 4th Place: Edmond North High School 鈥� CultureFest
- Honorable Mention: Canadian Valley Technology Center and Southmoore High School
More than $6,500 in total prizes were awarded, including $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, $1,000 for third, and $500 for fourth. Trophies, certificates, and scholarships were also presented to the winning teams.
This year marked the highest attendance since the event began and the second event sponsored by Post Oak Toyota, whose support made the student awards possible.
鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful for community partners like Post Oak Toyota who help make programs like this possible,鈥� said Kyle Golding, Director of Corporate Relations. 鈥淭heir generosity allows us to reward students for their innovation and hard work while connecting education to real-world business opportunities.鈥�
Throughout the day, teams presented their two- to three-minute pitches before a panel of 3 judges representing the Oklahoma business community, including marketing professionals, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and several OCU alumni now working in corporate and startup environments.
According to the judges, narrowing down the top eight鈥攁nd then the final four鈥攚as no easy task. 鈥淲e were truly impressed,鈥� one judge said. 鈥淭hese high school students displayed the kind of intelligence, poise, and creativity we typically see from college students. Their ability to collaborate under pressure and deliver polished business pitches was remarkable.鈥�
In addition to the competition itself, the event also served as a unique learning opportunity. Students experienced the excitement of entrepreneurship firsthand while learning about academic programs, resources, and career paths available through OCU鈥檚 Meinders School of Business.
Meinders School of Business Interim Dean Bob Greve praised the participants for their energy and innovative thinking: 鈥淭his event represents what Meinders stands for鈥攅mpowering future leaders to think critically, act ethically, and build solutions that make a real impact. The enthusiasm from these young entrepreneurs gives us great confidence in the future of Oklahoma鈥檚 business community.鈥�
As the final trophies were handed out and teams celebrated their success, the excitement was palpable. The day concluded not just with prizes and applause, but with lasting inspiration for every student who took part.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
SAVE THE DATE! The 2026 Startup Sprint and Business Plan Pitch Competition will be Friday, 10/23/26. For more information or to be added to our email list, please contact Kyle Golding, Director of Corporate Relations & Special Projects at [email protected]
Results of the Spring 2025 Startup Sprint & Business Plan Pitch Competition Presented by Post Oak Toyota
Congratulations to the top 6 high school teams who won cash prizes and big trophies at our Spring 2025 Startup Sprint & Business Plan Pitch Competition. Our panels of professional judges were so impressed with all the young people who participated.
- 1st Place: Edmond Memorial High School
- 2nd Place: Mustang High School
- 3rd Place: Tulsa Technology Center
- 4th Place: Drumright High School
- Honorable Mention: Booker T. Washington High School, Francis Tuttle Technology Center Danforth
Thank you to all who participated. We can't wait to do it again in the Fall of 2025.
Results of the Fall 2024 Startup Sprint & Business Plan Pitch Competition
Congratulations to the top 4 high school teams who won cash prizes and big trophies at our Fall 2024 Startup Sprint & Business Plan Pitch Competition. Our panels of professional judges were so impressed with all the young people who participated.
- 1st Place: Booker T. Washington High School (Tulsa)
- 2nd Place: Southmoore High School
- 3rd Place: Yukon High School
- 4th Place: Francis Tuttle Technology Center
- Honorable Mention: Metro Technology and Booker T. Washington (Team 2)
The feedback from our Fall 2024 High School Startup Sprint and Business Plan Pitch Competition has been overwhelmingly positive. We're proud of our faculty and staff for engaging and encouraging young minds while also creating opportunities for the business community to give back to business education by providing real-world mentoring and evaluation. Thank you to all who participated. We can't wait to do it again in the Spring.
