The Delaplaine School of Business at Hood College proudly presents EPCC2026 - the annual Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition and Conference - where big ideas, bold dreams, and high energy come together. This full-day event is designed to inspire entrepreneurial thinking and advance academic research. Attendees compete for $5,000 in total prizes: $3,900 awarded for pitches and $1,100 for research paper ideas.
I am writing to invite your faculty to submit to and participate in the EPCC2026 Research Paper Development Workshop. This collaborative afternoon session is designed to help academics refine their works in progress through structured expert feedback and peer discussion - with the opportunity to win a cash award. Here are the key benefits:
a) Free to attend - there are no registration fees for faculty/PhD student participants.
b) Only an extended abstract of two pages is needed during the submission. The submission deadline is March 23, and the paper development workshop is on Friday, April 17, 2026.
c) Conveniently located - Hood College is centrally situated in Frederick, MD, making it an easy drive for faculty across the mid-Atlantic region. The conference takes place on a Friday afternoon, minimizing disruption to the academic week.
d) Open to all - any researcher (including a PhD Student) is welcome to participate, provided they are able to attend in person.
Last year's participants were delighted to receive cash awards for the best paper ideas. Attendees consistently reported that the workshop was welcoming and well-organized, offering constructive peer feedback and meaningful opportunities to expand their professional networks.
Workshop participants are also welcome to attend the Hood Pitches in the morning - a dynamic showcase where entrepreneurs present their business ideas to a panel of judges. The afternoon session shifts focus to emerging academic research, highlighting work that is shaping the future of entrepreneurship. Researchers are invited to submit works in progress on entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, innovation management, small business management, or leadership.
For full event details, submission guidelines, and registration, please visit https://www.hood.edu/EPCCHood.
EPCC2026 is generously supported by BlueSky Capital Management, Washington Freedom, and CampusAI.Solutions.