McNeese to Host Prestigious Hult Prize Competition

McNeese State University has been selected as a university host site for the 2018 Hult Prize competition, billed as the world’s largest university competition that offers student teams an opportunity to win $1 million.

The Hult Prize, in partnership with the United Nations, provides start-up funding to the winning team of students that develops an innovative startup enterprise to solve a specific global problem. This year’s theme is “Developing a Business Idea That Can Create Meaningful Jobs for 10,000 People in the Next 10 Years.”

“This event shows students that anyone of any background or skill set can be an entrepreneur and make a real difference with nothing more than an idea,” according to Nischal Aryal, a computer science junior who has been named McNeese’s Hult Prize on Campus student director.

McNeese students will compete in teams to pitch their ideas to five judges on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Baker Auditorium in Farrar Hall. Currently, 12 teams have signed up for the competition. and Aryal says there’s room for three more teams who have until Nov. 9 to sign up. He said students from any major or classification can enter the contest, and for more information, he can be contacted at msu-naryal1@student.mcneese.edu

The winner of this inter-campus event will automatically advance to compete in one of the 15 regional finals happening around the world next March. One winning team from each host city will then move onto the final round of competition to be hosted in September 2019, where the winning team will be awarded the $1 million prize.