The Leopards Lair® Competition provides a meaningful learning experience for students of the NWU who are interested in pursuing new venture creation, as an alternative to traditional employment or as a mechanism for gaining experiential business development experience.
Pitch your business idea in the annual NWU Leopards Lair® student pitching competition. Can you afford to miss this opportunity?
This year, the Leopard’s Lair® is not just about innovation; it’s about faculty pride and entrepreneurial excellence. Are you ready to bring the trophy home?
Enter before 7 April 2025
Compete in One of Two Exciting Categories:
- Research-Based Startups: Transform cutting-edge research into innovative ventures.
- Student Side-Hustles: Bring your creative or practical business ideas to life.
Why Participate?
- Compete for cash rewards and faculty glory
- Access resources to grow your business idea
- Explore networking opportunities across the university
Timeline
| 22 February P 8 March V & M |
Startup boot camp Kickstart your journey with an intensive boot camp to refine your business idea and prepare for the competition. |
| 7 April |
Entries closing date Submit a 5-minute pre-recorded video explaining your business idea, the problem you aim to solve, your solution, your primary target market and your unique selling proposition. |
| 11 April |
Semi-finalist announced Entries will be assessed, and the semi-finalist will be revealed. |
| 21 April |
Business model canvas submission Semi-finalists must submit their completed business model canvas to progress further. |
| 25 April |
Finalist announced Top 5 finalist per category will be announced, moving on to the final phase of the competition. |
| 28 April - 2 May |
Pitch readiness training Finalist to participate in specialised training to perfect their pitches for the final event. |
| 8 May |
Final Gala event The ultimate showdown. Finalists present their pitches to a panel of judges and the winners will be crowned at a prestigious gala event. |
Contact details:
Side-Hustle category:
Vanderbijlpark Campus: Annelie.Steenkamp@nwu.ac.za
Potchefstroom Campus: Lerato.Sentsho@nwu.ac.za
Mahikeng Campus: Kezell.Klinck@nwu.ac.za
Research-Based category: