The purpose of this competition is to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in South Dakotans and assist with start-up funds. The program provides a format where finalists can meet and present their ideas to judges, investors, representatives from various assistance organizations, economic development professionals and successful business owners. Finalists compete for prize money. The competition exists to create help new jobs and grow the South Dakota economy.
The application deadline for the 2025 competition is 11:59 PM (MST) Friday, January 3rd.
The competition will be held Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at the Ramkota Hotel & Conference Center in Pierre, with setup Tues., Feb. 25, 1-4 PM.
Since beginning in 2007, there have been more than 400 applicants to the student competition, with a number of success stories that include FOMENO (USD students), Provender Technologies (South Dakota Mines student) and The Calving Book App (Faulkton High School student). A total of $264,000 in prize money has been awarded since 2007.
Giant Vision prize money is raised from private business sponsors with matching funds from Governor Kristi Noem’s Office of Economic Development. First place in the Student Competition pays $5,000, with prizes paid through fifth place. Click here for a list of sponsors and prize levels awarded.
ELIGIBILITY
This competition is open to full-time South Dakota university, college, technical or other school students. If you are applying for an existing business that is located in South Dakota, you may have been in operation for no more than three years, as of the application deadline date. Also, if an existing business, annual sales revenues may not exceed $500,000.
Startup businesses that are NOT located in South Dakota and students who do NOT attend a South Dakota school do NOT qualify for this competition.
BEST ADVICE
In South Dakota, there are multiple agencies working to assist individuals, including students, with developing successful businesses. Anyone interested in the Giant Vision Competition is strongly urged to connect with an agency in their area before applying. The complete list is available here Business Assistance Directory. These services are free of charge.
2024-25 OPPORTUNITIES
FAST Launch
The South Dakota FAST Launch program is designed to assist South Dakota entrepreneurs with beginning their businesses through workshops and potential market research funding or seed capital. Businesses may also compete in the Governor’s Giant Vision Competition or for SBIR/STTR funding. The purpose of FAST Launch is to help people develop their business idea through the lean launch methodology by engaging in customer discovery and business model validation. FAST Launch is also designed to prepare people for the Governor’s Giant Vision Competition which will be held February 26, 2025, as well as other business competitions.
Second Season 2024-2025 South Dakota FAST Launch program details and registration – https://www.sdbio.org/blog/south-dakota-fast-launch
REGIONAL I-CORPS
Regional I-Corps trainings are for faculty, researchers, and students with technology-based innovation ideas or Intellectual Property and a strong interest in commercializing their technology. Upon submitting an application, teams will be contacted by a Great Plains Regional I-Corps Hub team member regarding program acceptance. This course is free for all participants.
The 2025 schedule is available here – https://gp-icorps.org/events/
For more information and assistance, visit the Resources page.
Giant Vision has a separate open business competition that requires applicants to be a resident of South Dakota. Students have the option of applying in either competition but not both.
