Tuscaloosa Innovative Community Business Plan Competition

FEBRUARY 26, 2026

Event Details

  • Date: February 26, 2026
  • Location: The EDGE
  • Address: 2627 10th Avenue | Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Competition Overview

Dates & Deadlines

  • Intent to Compete Submission Closes: February 19*
    • Register and submit draft PowerPoint via this link.
  • Draft of PowerPoint Presentation Due: February 19*
    • Competitions will be given feedback prior to the Final Presentation due date
  • Final PowerPoint Presentation Due: February 23*
    • Upload final PowerPoint Presentation via this link.
  • Competition Date: February 26

*These deadlines are at midnight (11:59 p.m. CST) on the dates listed.

Information Sessions

To help competitors prepare, two in-person information sessions will be held. During these sessions, the AEI team will discuss the judging criteria, presentation tips, and answer questions about how the virtual competition will operate. These information sessions are optional, and the information covered will be the same so attending both won’t be needed.

  • In-person Information Session 1 – Wednesday, January 28th | 5:30pm | The EDGE | RSVP HERE
  • In-person Information Session 2 – Thursday, February 5th | 5:30pm | The EDGE | RSVP HERE
  • Individual Coaching Sessions / Office Hours will be available soon. Please check back.

Awards

Our competition awards are sponsored by the Alabama Small Business Development Center and the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute.

The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama is an in-kind sponsor granting the winners of this competition a one year membership into the chamber.

GRAND PRIZE

$10,000

FIRST PLACE

$5,000
Sponsored by SBDC

SECOND PLACE

$3,000
Sponsored by SBDC

THIRD PLACE

$2,000
Sponsored by SBDC

FIRST PLACE

$5,000
Sponsored by AEI

SECOND PLACE

$3,000
Sponsored by AEI

THIRD PLACE

$2,000
Sponsored by AEI

View Past Winners

2025 Winners
2024 Winners
2023 Winners
2020 Winners

Thank you to all of our sponsors