ACC Capital launched the Governor’s Cup over two decades ago to
encourage college students to be innovative and think like
entrepreneurs. It’s a perfect opportunity for students who are
interested in becoming entrepreneurs and small business owners;
who may just want to learn about entrepreneurship; or who already
have a business idea, and they don’t want to wait until after college
to launch!
The competition doesn’t require students to start their businesses,
although nearly 30 companies operating in Arkansas today have
their roots in the competition. C-Suite executives from several of
them report their companies would not have launched if it hadn’t
been for the Governor’s Cup.
Ultimately, students get a true entrepreneur education experience.
They are fully immersed into what it takes to launch a startup from
the ground up. The rigor of the work leads them to gain a much
greater appreciation of the challenges real-world entrepreneurs face
in the business model and customer development process.
2025 presenting sponsor
2025 title sponsor
Students also get constructive and meaningful feedback throughout the process from nearly 60 volunteer judges –
most of whom are Arkansas-based entrepreneurs, small business owners, and current or former large corporation
executives. Many competition alumni say they continue to benefit from the networking opportunities and relationships
created through their Governor’s Cup experiences.
High Growth/technology | Undergraduate | Graduate | Faculty |
1st Place | $20,000 | $20,000 | $1,500 |
2nd Place | $10,000 | $10,000 | $1,500 |
3rd Place | $7,500 | $7,500 | $1,500 |
$141,000 cash Prize Pool
The competition is open to undergraduate students in Arkansas and graduate students from Arkansas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas!
SMALL BUSINESS | Four-Year | Advisor |
1st Place | $10,000 | $1,500 |
2nd Place | $7,500 | $1,500 |
3rd Place | $5,000 | $1,500 |
ELEVATOR PITCH | WINNER AWARD |
Small Business | $1,000 |
High-Growth/Technology- Undergrad | $1,000 |
High-Growth/Technology- Grad | $1,000 |
title sponsor:
Note: In addition to the above awards,
all 18 finalists teams receive a $1500
stipend.
2025 presenting sponsor
High Growth/Tech Graduate | High Growth/Tech Undergrad | Small Business | |||||||||
Place | Team | Institution | Prize | Place | Team | Institution | Prize | Place | Team | Institution | Prize |
First | Imagine | University of | $20,000 | First | TheraLink | Harding | $20,000 | First | Retra | Ouachita Baptist | $10,000 |
Second | Humimic | University of | $10,000 | Second | Swaply | University of | $10,000 | Second | ABC | University of | $7,500 |
Third | FarmSmart.ai | Louisiana | $7,500 | Third | SignBridge | John Brown | $7,500 | Third | Pet Buddy | University of the | $5,000 |
Elevator | Plasticless | Rice University | $1,000 | Elevator | TheraLink | Harding | $1,000 | Elevator | Pet Buddy | University of the | $1,000 |
the 2025 WINNERS
Small Business | |
ABC RoboKits | University of Arkansas |
HydroSling | Ouachita Baptist University |
Pet Buddy | University of the Ozarks |
Retra | Ouachita Baptist University |
Taste of Africa | Arkansas State University |
White River Water | Lyon College |
the 2025 FINALISTS
High Growth Undergraduate | |
Shelf | University of Arkansas - Fort |
SignBridge | John Brown University |
Solaris | Philander Smith University |
Swaply | University of Arkansas |
TheraLink | Harding University |
Trade Connect | Central Baptist College |
High Growth Graduate | |
Automatic AI | University of New Orleans + University |
FarmSmart.ai | Louisiana State University |
Humimic Biosystems | University of Arkansas |
Plasticless | Rice University |
PulseArk Technologies | University of Arkansas |
Imagine Devices Inc. | University of Texas at Austin |
Small Business | |
Taste of Africa | Arkansas State University |
Retra | Ouachita Baptist University |
White River Water | Lyon College |
HydroSling | Ouachita Baptist University |
Bread Dash | Central Baptist College |
Collar Me Home | Ouachita Baptist University |
Six Stars | University of Arkansas |
Pet Buddy | University of the Ozarks |
ABC RoboKits | University of Arkansas |
GentleNest | John Brown University |
the 2025 SEMI-FINALISTS
This year, we received 170% more applications from 2023 making the judges' decision a
challenging task. Congratulations to the selected teams!
High Growth Undergraduate | |
Solaris | Philander Smith University |
TheraLink | Harding University |
C.H.E.E.R.S. | University of Central Arkansas |
Shelf | University of Arkansas - Fort |
wAIter | University of Central Arkansas |
Trade Connect | Central Baptist College |
SignBridge | John Brown University |
Swaply | University of Arkansas |
CurrentSolutions | Harding University |
SignCall | Ouachita Baptist University |
High Growth Graduate | |
TitanComfort Coaster | University of Arkansas - Fort Smith |
PulseArk Technologies | University of Arkansas |
Humimic Biosystems | University of Arkansas |
Imagine Devices Inc. | University of Texas at Austin |
UDOIT | Louisiana State University Shreveport |
Plasticless | Rice University |
Squeezy Peasy | University of Arkansas |
Elysium | University of Arkansas |
FarmSmart.ai | Louisiana State University |
Automatic AI | University of New Orleans + University |
The 2025 SEMI-FINALISTS include higher education institutions from five different states.
Date | Event / Description |
December 2, 2024 | Applications to the Governor’s Cup open in YouNoodle |
January 31, 2025 4:59pm CST | Deadline to submit Round 1 Business Plan |
Feb 14, 2025 | Semi - Finalist teams are notified of selection |
Feb 19, 2025, 11:59 pm CST | Semi - Finalists confirm commitment to compete |
Feb 21, 2025 | Governor’s Cup announces semi-finalist teams |
Feb 24 - March 7, 2025 | Virtual Semi-Final Round 2 |
March 10, 2025 | Finalist teams are notified of selection |
March 14, 2025 | Finalists confirm commitment to compete |
March 24, 2025 | Governor’s Cup announces finalist teams |
April 14 - 16, 2025, Little Rock, AR | Governor’s Cup Oral Competition |
April 16, 2025, Little Rock, AR at 11:30AM CST | Awards Luncheon |
2025 Calendar
2025 High-Growth/Technology
Sponsor:
2025 SMALL BUSINESS
Sponsor:
MON 4.14 | TUES 4.15 | WED 4.16 | |
8:30-9:30 /Judges Orientation + | |||
9:30A - 4P / Oral Competition | |||
11:30 - 1:30P / Lunch available | 11:30A - 1P / Awards | ||
5P - 7P / Welcome Dinner | 5P - 8P: Elevator Pitch | ||
2025 Competition
Event Schedule
ACC Capital created the Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation (AEAF) in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
The mission of AEAF is to be a catalyst in an environment focused on ideas and initiatives that nurture Arkansas’s future entrepreneurs,
especially young Arkansans living in the state’s underserved communities.
Click here to receive updates on our programs and offerings.
Tiffany
Henry
Vice President
Education to Develop & Grow Entrepreneurs (EDGE)
479-692-1043
200 River Market Ave., Suite 400 | Little Rock, AR 72201
thenry@ACCcapital.com