Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

  • The SURGE 2024 Annual Conference will be held at Stanford University from November 14-17, 2024.

  • The conference is open to student-run business organizations, aspiring educational organizations, industry professionals, alumni, and sponsors associated with the SRBA.

  • Registration details are available on our Conference page.

  • The conference spans four days that showcase various locations on campus at Stanford:
    1. November 14: Early Registration and Welcome Reception
    2. November 15: Competition and Innovation Day
    3. November 16: Educational Workshops and Networking
    4. November 17: Final Presentations and Closing Remarks (SSE Offices)

    For more details please see our Conference page.

  • Yes, there will be multiple structured networking activities, including evening events and roundtable discussions.

  • For more information, please contact the SRBA conference team via email at conference@srbassociation.org.

  • SRBA adheres to all local and federal guidelines for COVID-19 safety. Updates on specific measures will be provided closer to the event date.

Participation & Sponsorship

  • If you are interested in facilitating a workshop, please contact conference@srbassociation.org. Specific guidelines and deadlines will be provided.

  • Sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels. Contact the SRBA sponsorship team for more details and to customize your sponsorship package.

  • Yes, volunteers are welcome. Please contact conference@srbassociation.org to express your interest and availability.

Competition

  • The SURGE 2024 Annual Conference will be held at Stanford University from November 14-17, 2024. The competition day is scheduled for the second day of the conference - Friday, November 15, 2024.

  • The competition is open to student-run business organizations and individual student entrepreneurs.

  • The deadline for registration is November 8th. Please check the SRBA website for updated deadlines.

  • There are four main tracks: Green, Product, Social, and Health.

  • The competition follows a structured format with qualifying criteria similar to leading startup competitions, focusing on innovation, market viability, business model, and execution plan. Participants will pitch their startups to a panel of judges.

    Each pitch session includes a presentation, Q&A, and feedback.

  • Invitational Pitch Events: 30-second pitch with 2 minutes of feedback (informal) or 4-minute pitch with 4 minutes of Q&A (formal).

    Semi-Finals: 4-minute pitch followed by 12-minute Q&A.

    Finals: 4-minute pitch followed by 12-minute Q&A.

  • Competitors may only submit one pitch for the qualifying pitch, though they can join the August 1st Invitational Pitch event and join their coaching session to refine their concept.

  • Pitches will be judged based on: 1. Innovation and Impact 2. Market Validation 3. Execution Plan 4. Presentation Skills

  • The judges are a panel of industry experts, seasoned entrepreneurs, and academic professionals. Semi-finals are judged predominantly by student judges, while finals are judged predominantly by VC judges.

  • Participants should prepare a clear and concise pitch deck, practice their presentation skills, and be ready to answer questions from the judges. Guidance and resources will be provided upon registration and as we near the event. Participants should also attend the pre-qualifying pitch events for additional practice​​.

  • The Pre-Qualifying Pitch Sessions provide a low-stakes environment to refine your pitch and receive feedback from industry experts.

  • These virtual events are designed to help participants refine their pitches, receive feedback, and determine final qualifications for those still being considered for the main competition.

  • Teams interested in participating should register through the SRBA website or by contacting conference@srbassociation.org.

  • Yes, participants will have access to mentorship sessions, pitch workshops, and online resources to help them prepare. Participants are encouraged to focus on customer validation and traction, as well as refining their business models and execution plans.

  • Yes, participants will receive detailed feedback from judges and mentors during the pre-qualifying events to help them improve their pitches for the main competition.

  • Prizes include cash awards and mentorship opportunities. Specific prize details will be announced closer to the event.

  • Yes, the competition will be covered by SRBA’s media partners, and highlights will be shared on SRBA’s social media channels.

  • Yes, the competition is open to all conference attendees. Audience members can watch the pitches and participate in the networking sessions.

  • For more information, please contact the SRBA competition team via email at conference@srbassociation.org.

  • Participants can opt to keep their pitches confidential until the competition day. A checkbox will be available on the application form to indicate if they prefer their pitches to be shared only with judges and mentors.

  • Advisors are selected based on experience as student founders, experienced founders, venture capital investors, and recommendations from SRBA affiliates. They are matched with student founders based on alignment of personal interests and strengths to contribute to the founding team.

  • Advisors will guide founders to succeed based on personal understanding, judging criteria for the competition, etc. Advisors will meet with competitors at least 2 times for 30 minutes prior to the qualifying event, according to their discretion.

  • Judges will provide feedback based on a set of criteria, give personal scores prior to discussion, reach consensus with other judges, and use averaged scores for final decisions.

  • Denied teams will not be qualified or able to present again, unless an exception is provided by the judges. Qualified teams advance to the Semi-Finals (up to 20 teams). Deferred teams from the August 1st event may present again in the September event.