The 2025 Better Futures competition will provide a platform for 15 top-performing HBCUFI founders to showcase their companies to investors, corporations, and HBCU enthusiasts.

The 15 founders will be flown out to spend a few days engaging with HBCUFI partners and mingling with the local investor community ahead of the competition.

Of the 15 semi-finalists, up to 7 finalists will have the opportunity to present and compete in a national pitch competition where $25,000 in non-dilutive prizes will be distributed across the top three-placing startups.

After becoming a semi-finalist, founders will attend office hours hosted by HBCUFI, its corporate advisors, and investor advisory board members to further refine their pitches ahead of the competition.

During this process, semi-finalists will engage in a social media-fueled voting campaign, that will contribute, but not fully determine, the finalists competing the day of.

Founders who have completed HBCUFI’s programming since Fall 2022 are eligible to apply. Spring 2025 cohort members and Design for Social Good Workshop attendees will be eligible to apply as well.

Startups that pitched at previous Better Futures competitions are ineligible to participate again.

Founders who have an up-to-date pitch deck and presentation are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be expected to submit a 3-5 minute pitch video presenting their deck. It is ideal for interested applicants to have a clear idea of how they would utilize prize funding, with that explained in their pitch.

The competition will take place in Spring 2025. Founders interested in applying can remain on the lookout for applications to be released then.