Business Breakthrough Zions Bank

Business Breakthrough is a business model competition that seeks to find the most innovative business ideas with a high potential for growth. The competition is open to all SUU.

Business Breakthrough is part of the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge, a state-wide, university entrepreneur competition and is made possible by a generous donation from Zions Bank.



Business Breakthrough Application

  • Students operating businesses at any stage.
  • Students with high-potential business ideas.
  1. Get helpful feedback on your business.
  2. Build your network by meeting like-minded students, faculty, alumni, and judges.
  3. Receive a veteran entrepreneur as a mentor from SUU’s ELC.
  4. Cash Prizes include the following:
    • First place: $1,500 
    • Second place: $1,000, given to 2 winners
    • Third place: $750, given to 2 winners
  5. Any student business with at least one sale will be eligible to receive $200 for participating in the event.

 Your application consists of a 90-second Video to include to the following information.

  • Overview: Include the most important points about your business,including mission statement and history
  • Product or service: Describe the product or service for sale, yourcompetitive advantage, and intellectual property (if applicable).
  • Marketing: Who is your target market, and who are yourcompetitors? How do customers see your product relative to the competition?
  • Sales strategy: What is your distribution channel? What are your key partnerships? How can you grow revenues over time?
  • Revenue model: Describe how your business generates revenue. Include the cost to produce, cost to sell, and market price for the product or service.
  • Team: Describe who is currently on your team and their role. Include current and future personnel needs.

Please submit one GOOGLE slide, which will be used in your presentation. Once submitted, you will not be able to make any changes. This must be submitted with your application. You have the option of using video, but it must be embedded into your slide (not linked). Please note if you show a video, the video is part of your 90-second pitch.

  • Application deadline: Thursday, February 15th, 11:59pm.
  • Finalist notification: Friday, February 16th.
  • Finalist competition: Tuesday, February 20th, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Check in will begin at 4:15 with a reception to follow prior to the start of the event. Food will be provided.
  • The team must be organized and directed by a student from SUU.
  • The founding student must be registered for a minimum of six (6) credit hours.
  • The student team members must be involved in all aspects of the competition.
  • There are no restrictions regarding other team members; however, we suggest building a balanced team with a strong combination of finance, marketing, engineering and technology skills.
  • SUU’s Business Breakthrough competition uses the same application materials as the University of Utah’s Utah Entrepreneur Challenge. We encourage you to apply to both.
  • Each participant/team will present a total of three times. Each time will be in front of a different panel of judges.
  • Each presentation will be 90 Second Pitch followed by approximately 3 minute Q&A, total approximately 4.5 minutes.  
  • After all presentations in participants' first room are completed, participants will rotate to the next room / panel of judges.
  • Judges will stay in their assigned rooms with their cohort of judges.