Do you believe artificial intelligence has the power to tackle some of the toughest business challenges? Here’s your chance to pursue your idea and bring it to fruition. The AI Startup Challenge 2026: Applied AI and the Future of Business is calling innovative thinkers, problem-solvers, and aspiring student entrepreneurs to pitch forward-thinking startup ideas that leverage AI to revolutionize and unlock opportunities across industries.
This competition challenges current graduate degree students at Columbia University, Cornell Tech, NYU, or Yale to harness the transformative power of AI to create innovative solutions to real-world business challenges across finance, healthcare, and consumer markets.
You’ll network with experts and fellow entrepreneurs, refine your idea, pitch to a panel of experienced investors, operators, and industry leaders with deep expertise in AI and building scalable businesses, and compete for $40K+ in prizes.
More information available here.