FAQs

America250’s program America Innovates celebrates the nation’s most transformative inventions while showcasing core themes of American ingenuity. As part of America Innovates, America250 is launching America’s Startup, targeting college students interested in pursuing entrepreneurship branded as America’s Startup, a national college competition designed to spotlight the next generation of American innovators and entrepreneurs.

The contest begins at 12:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 15, 2026 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

Entrants must be an undergraduate student enrolled at an accredited university, accredited college or accredited trade school located in the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia  or one (1) of the U.S. Territories. Entrant must be a legal resident of one (1) of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, or one (1) of the U.S. Territories and must be at least thirteen (13) years of age.

Proposal Partners must be a student enrolled at an accredited university, accredited college or accredited trade school located in the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia or one (1) of the U.S. Territories. Entrant must be a legal resident of one (1) of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, or one (1) of the U.S. Territories and must be at least thirteen (13) years of age.

One (1) entry per Business Entity.

No, all participants may only be involved in one (1) Business Entry/Proposal.

All Proposals must include:

• Statement describing the mission of your Business Entity (limit 100 words).
• Description of why your Business Entity is necessary (limit 500 words).
• Pitch Video. The pitch video attachment should not be longer than 2 minutes in length and submitted in one of the following formats: MOV, AVI, MP4, MPEG/MPG. M4V or WMV. Total file size must be no larger than 500MB. Video resolution must be no lower than 400x300px.

Be sure your Proposal covers all Judging Criteria categories as listed below.

Judges will use a national scoring rubric emphasizing: innovation/differentiation; market potential and traction; feasibility of the business model; capability of the founding team; and alignment with America’s future (economic, technological, or societal progress). Proposals will be judged on the following equally weighted categories.

Category

• Why You – why this Team
• Attractiveness of Market/Market Size
• Product (Insight + Direction)
• Barrier to Entry (Future Moat)
• Competitive Landscape
• Supply Chain/Execution Path
• Business Model

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The Entrants from the thirty (30) Proposals selected as potential Semi-Finalists will be notified by the Administrator (Probability LLC) on or about April 13, 2026.

All Entrants will have to confirm within twenty four (24) hours that they meet all eligibility requirements and are available to travel to the Semi-Finalist Weekend in San Mateo, CA from May 1 – 3, 2026.

All Entrants (if a minor, their parent/legal guardian) and Proposal Partners (if a minor, their parent/legal guardian) will be required to sign and return, within two (2) days of notification, an Affidavit of Eligibility, Release and Indemnification, and a Publicity Release where allowed by law, the necessary paperwork for a background check (if over the age of eighteen [18]) and provide proof of school enrollment.

Failure of any Proposal Partner to sign and timely return Contest Documents or if there is any dispute as to submission of the Proposal as an entry in the Contest among Entrant and Proposal Partners may result in disqualification of the entire Proposal.

As long as Entrant and all Proposal Partners return the necessary paperwork, not all team members are required to travel to the Semi-Finalist Weekend.

Only Proposal Partners listed in the initial Proposal submission are eligible to travel and present at Semi-Finalist Weekend.

If any Entrant or Proposal Partner is considered a minor in their jurisdiction of residence (generally under eighteen [18] years of age) a parent/legal guardian is required to sign all Contest Documents on their behalf and will be required to sign a guest release and attend the Semi-Finalist Weekend as a Chaperone.

The Semi-Finalist Weekend will take place in San Mateo, CA from May 1 – 3, 2026.

Semi-Finalists are responsible for booking all travel.

Each Semi-Finalist team will receive

• One (1) $1,000 travel credit per eligible traveler (including potential Proposal Partners and eligible Chaperones)
• A hotel credit or reimbursement up to $400 per room per night for two (2) nights accommodations at a hotel in San Mateo (hotel, number of rooms, and room occupancy to be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion based on the number of Proposal Partners and Chaperones [if applicable]);

All travel credits and hotel reservations/reimbursement will be issued to the Entrant only who will be responsible to coordinate bookings with their team.

Sponsor makes no representation or warranty of any kind that the funds so provided will satisfy all airline or hotel costs incurred by each eligible traveller. Each Semi-Finalist and any applicable Proposal Partners or Chaperones are solely responsible for any airline costs above the $1,000 credit, hotel costs above the $800 hotel credit or reimbursement (for one [1] room/ two [2] nights, or $1,600 hotel credit or reimbursement (for two [2] rooms/ two [2] nights as applicable).

Each Proposal/team will have the opportunity to present one (1) time for no longer than five (5) minutes on May 2, 2026 and will be recorded. The ten (10) Winners will be announced on site on May 2, 2026.

$25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding (with Winners at all times retaining ownership interest in their Business Entity).

There will be ten (10) Winners.

Prize funds will be paid to Winners via the verified Entrant or to an eligible entity designated by Winners and approved by Sponsor for non-dilutive purposes. Winners are solely responsible for all taxes and for providing required tax documentation including their social security number or a tax ID number for their Business Entity (if applicable).

The ten (10) Winners will be required to submit a one-page progress report no later than six (6) months after receiving their funding from Sponsor.

Additional opportunities for all entries may include educational opportunities, accelerator/incubator consideration, mentorship, and back-office support; administration resources including potential grants, loans, and support services may also be considered. Additional opportunities have no bearing on the outcome of the Contest, are not guaranteed and are at the sole discretion of the members of the Investor Council.