Application
Applications for current students are now closed. Students from all areas of study are encouraged to apply, along with alumni from any graduating year. If you are a Rice student who will graduate by May 2023, you have the option to apply for both the student and alumni track competitions.
Solo founders and founder teams are welcomed to apply. If applying as a team, members or partners do not need to have a Rice background, however, the co-founder pitching is required to be a Rice student or alumni. Additionally, if applying as a team, please submit only one application. You will have an opportunity to list all team members on the application.
Requirements to Apply
- One application per team
- A maximum of 5 members per team. You may also apply as a solo founder.
- For students, the venture must be founded and/or lead by a current Rice undergraduate or graduate student
- For alumni, the venture must be alum(na) founded, with the alum(na) pitching
- The venture doesn’t have to be fully launched to apply but must be more than an idea
Office Hours
We’ll sit with you one-on-one and walk through any hesitations you may have about the “readiness” of your venture. Grab a time slot here >>
Info Sessions
If you have any questions about NRLC or just want to connect with someone at Lilie, watch these recordings of our previous info sessions:
Round One
How It Works
Venture teams will present a 5 minute pitch on Zoom, followed by a 5-minute of Q&A from a panel of judges from across the Rice startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Ten ventures from Round One will be selected to compete in Round Two, which takes place just two days later.
Additionally, you don’t even have to be an NRLC finalist to win funding for your venture! We have three sidecar prizes you can win just by pitching at Round One.
$1000 – RISE@Rice: The Sen Social Pioneer Prize, sponsored by MBA Alum Runsi Sen ‘04
The winning venture for this prize is one that solves or addresses social injustice and challenges with the potential for significant social impact.
$2500 – Frank Liu Jr Prize for Creative Innovations in Music, Fashion, & the Arts, sponsored by the Liu Family
This prize will be awarded to an innovation that exemplifies the drive and passion Frank Liu Jr. had in his life as a musician and creative.
$5000 – Best Undergraduate Venture, sponsored by the Liu Idea Lab
This special sidecar prize will be given to an undergraduate team that best wows the judges with their venture.
How to Prepare
- Sign up for our email-based course “How to Deliver a Winning Pitch at NRLC” Starts February 28
- Sample pitch video to give you an idea of what a good pitch sounds like
ROUND TWO
How It Works
Round Two will follow a similar format to Round One: a 5-minute pitch and 8 minutes of Q&A with a panel of judges. However, in Round Two, teams will pitch live, in-person at the Liu Idea Lab.
Championships
How It Works
The 5 finalist teams will present a 5-minute pitch, followed by a 10-minute Q&A from our judges.
Judges will deliberate and select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Additional prizes will also be rewarded.
How We Help You Prepare
Lilie will help you refine your venture and prepare you to give an award-winning pitch by:
- Pairing your team with a coach who will conduct a dedicated deck review session
- Providing your team with mentorship sessions with seasoned entrepreneurs to provide feedback on your pitch and help develop your delivery
- Hosting working sessions in the Liu Idea Lab where you can collaborate directly with Lilie staff
SAVE THE DATE
Support the student ventures at the Championships on Wednesday, April 19th! Watch pitches, network with the Houston and Rice entrepreneurship community, and vote for your favorite venture! Attendance is open to Rice students, Rice alumni, and friends of Rice.
RSVP on Eventbrite