Build your student team.
Form a team of 2 to 5 students, all aged 18 or older and enrolled at a college or university in the USA. Students from any discipline or degree level are welcome. The team lead must have a valid U.S. Social Security number.
STRLEX CAPITAL AWARD
AT UCLA
AT UCLA
Have an idea?
Pitch it to a VC.
An ideation competition for student ideas built on AI, digital assets or both, in any industry. Bring your idea, build your case and pitch it live to win.
Organized by UCLA faculty member Alex Nascimento, the competition brings student ideas in front of investors.
Read the Official Rules ↗Pitch day
November 9, 2026 · 1:00 to 3:30 PM PT
UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator110 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ↗
November 9, 2026 · 1:00 to 3:30 PM PT
UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator110 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ↗
Applications close
October 30, 2026, 11:59 PM PT
October 30, 2026, 11:59 PM PT
YOUR IDEA.
IN FRONT OF INVESTORS.
IN FRONT OF INVESTORS.
US$5,000
total prizes
10
finalist teams
1
live pitch-day
at UCLA on NOV 9th
at UCLA on NOV 9th
THE IDEAMESH EXPERIENCE
An idea is just the beginning.
Open to eligible university students. Participation is free.
A problem worth solving.
Bring an original business idea with a clear customer, a real problem and a credible solution. No code, prototype or technical background is required.
Looking for teammates or have a question? Join the Ideamesh Discord ↗
WHAT WE EXPECT
One idea. One deliverable.
Create a business model where AI, digital assets or both are essential to how the product works or how it makes money. Health, sports, education, media, logistics, finance: any industry qualifies. Submit your pitch deck (PDF) with your application to be eligible to win US$5,000 in total prizes.
THE DELIVERABLE
Pitch Deck
A PDF pitch deck of up to 15 slides (max 5 MB). Explain the problem and customer, your solution, what makes it different and how the business could work.
Not mandatory, but recommended: use the Ideamesh pitch deck template ↗
THE VISION BEHIND IDEAMESH
Great ideas deserve
a chance to be heard.
Founded by Alex Nascimento, Ideamesh encourages students to explore emerging technologies, develop their entrepreneurial thinking and engage with industry investors.
WHY APPLY?
Real investors.
Real opportunities.
The 10 best ideas pitch live to a judging panel at UCLA on November 9th, 2026.
Practice building a business case and answering judges’ questions.
Finalist teams receive certificates and exposure.
THE AWARDS
Prizes for ideas with potential.
US$2,500 for first place, US$1,500 for second and US$1,000 for third. Each winning team also receives a follow-up meeting with STRLEX Capital. Cash prizes are paid to the team lead and are taxable; see the Official Rules for details.
Read prize details & rules ↗HOW IT WORKS
From idea to the stage.
01Apply
Register your team and submit your pitch deck PDF by October 30, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
02Build
Refine your business case. A demo is optional; no code or business plan is required.
03Finalists
The 10 best ideas will be announced on November 5th, 2026, to present during the final pitch day on November 9th, 2026.
04Pitch
Pitch live at the UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator (Pitch Deck Room), 110 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ↗, on November 9th, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM PT: 10 minutes per team, including Q&A. At least one team member must present in person.
OUR PARTNERS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
VENUE
110 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ↗
Pitch day location only. Not a sponsor or organizer.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Short answers based on the Official Rules. If anything here differs from the Official Rules, the Official Rules apply.
Rules updated on October 21, 2026: the challenge theme is now AI, Digital Assets and the Future of Business. Entries from any industry are accepted as long as AI or digital assets are essential to the solution or business model.
Who can participate?
Students enrolled at a university or college in the USA at the time of registration, in any school, program or degree level (undergraduate, master's, doctoral, JD and professional programs). You must be at least 18 years old.
Do I need to be a UCLA student?
No. The Ideathon is open to students from any university or college in the USA. Pitch day is hosted at UCLA, and at least one member of each finalist team must attend in person.
I graduate soon. Can I still participate?
Eligibility is based on enrollment at the time of registration: you must be enrolled as a student at a university or college in the USA when your team registers. The Organizer may request proof of enrollment at any time.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. The Ideathon judges the business, not the technology. No code, prototype or technical background is required to enter or to win.
Does my idea have to be a finance or fintech startup?
No. The theme is AI, Digital Assets and the Future of Business. The judges look for AI or digital assets as an essential part of the solution or the business model, not as decoration. The industry is up to you: health, sports, education, media, logistics, finance or anything else.
Does it cost anything?
No. Participation is free of charge.
How big is a team? Can I enter alone?
Teams have 2 to 5 members, so solo entries are not accepted. If you need teammates, join the Ideamesh Discord.
Why does the team lead need a U.S. Social Security number?
Each team designates one team lead, who submits the registration and is the single point of contact. Cash prizes are paid in full to the team lead, so the team lead must have a valid U.S. Social Security number. The team decides how to split the prize among its members.
Can international students participate?
Yes, if you are enrolled at a university or college in the USA and your team has a team lead with a valid U.S. Social Security number. See section 9 of the Official Rules for tax information.
What do we submit, and by when?
The registration form and a pitch deck in PDF, up to 15 slides, by October 30, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time. A link to a demo, prototype or repository is optional. No business plan is required. Late or incomplete submissions are not considered.
Is the pitch deck template mandatory?
No, but it is strongly encouraged. It covers 11 topics, one slide each, including financial projections and deal terms. Open the pitch deck template.
Can we change our submission after sending it?
Before the deadline, email contact@ideamesh.org to correct your submission. A submission may not be changed after the deadline of October 30, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time.
Can we use AI tools to prepare our submission?
Yes, provided your team can explain and defend every claim in it. The submission must be your team's original work.
Can we enter an idea we are already working on?
Yes. Ideas at any early stage are welcome, including ideas that exist only on paper. The only exclusion is a venture that has already raised institutional venture capital.
How are entries judged?
On six criteria of equal weight, each scored from 1 to 5, for a maximum of 30 points: problem and customer, originality, solution and use of AI or digital assets, business model and market, team, and presentation. Entries must address the theme, AI, Digital Assets and the Future of Business: AI, digital assets or both as an essential part of the solution or business model, in any industry.
How many teams go to pitch day, and when will we know?
The ten highest-ranked teams advance as finalists, with two alternates. Finalists are announced on November 5, 2026. Finalist teams are notified by email, and the list is posted on the Ideamesh Discord and on this site.
When and where is pitch day, and how does it work?
November 9, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM PT, at the UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator, Pitch Deck room, 110 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 ↗. Each finalist team has 10 minutes, including Q&A, and presents the same deck it submitted. At least one team member must be there in person. Remote presentations are not permitted.
Is there travel or parking support?
No. Travel support is not available and parking is not provided. Travel, accommodation, parking and any other expenses are the responsibility of each participant.
Will pitch day be live streamed?
No. Pitch day will not be live streamed. It is open to the public and attendance is free, subject to the venue's capacity.
What are the prizes?
First place: US$ 2,500 and the STRLEX Capital Award. Second place: US$ 1,500. Third place: US$ 1,000. The three winning teams also get a follow-up meeting with STRLEX Capital, and all finalists receive a certificate. Cash prizes are taxable income. See sections 8 and 9 of the Official Rules.
Who owns our idea?
Your team does. Teams retain all intellectual property rights. Keep in mind that the Ideathon is a public event and pitches may be recorded, so do not include confidential information or trade secrets in your deck or pitch.
Will we get feedback on our entry?
Judges do not provide individual written feedback or share scores. Finalists may receive comments during the live Q&A. Decisions of the judging panel are final.
Where can I ask something that is not answered here?
Ask on the Ideamesh Discord for a quick answer, or email contact@ideamesh.org for official matters. We reply within 24 hours.
READY TO PITCH?