ANNOUNCING THE 2026 INNOVATION COMPETITION
Win up to $6,000!
The Jacobs School of Music’s Office of Entrepreneurship & Career Development is excited to announce the 2026 Innovation Competition, with a $6,000 Grand Prize and a $1,000 Second Place Prize. In addition, all competition finalists will receive $250 to support their projects.
Link to Statement of Intent Form > (see below for details)
The Innovation Competition is open to all Jacobs School of Music students who are developing a project related to music that would benefit from funding. Past participants have pitched concert series, festivals, products, educational programming, apps, community engagement projects, and more! Collaboration within JSoM or across other IU departments is highly encouraged. Whether you already have a project in motion or are just beginning to explore an idea, this is your opportunity to bring your vision to life!
Join us for upcoming information sessions to learn more about the competition structure, timeline, and judging criteria. You’re also welcome to visit the OECD for advising and mentoring to help you refine your proposal and prepare your submission.
IMPORTANT DATES
INFORMATION SESSIONS
- Wednesday, November 12, 2-4pm
- Thursday, December 4, 6-8pm
Location: OECD – Merrill Hall, MU011 / Zoom: https://iu.zoom.us/my/jsomoecd
Work with members of the OECD to fine-tune your concept and to receive more details about the competition. If you are not available to attend the information sessions but are interested in participating in the competition, please email OECD Special Projects Manager, Sehyun Paik at paik@iu.edu, to set up an alternate time.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
Deadline: Friday, December 12, 2025
Link to Statement of Intent Form >
Tell us about your project: What is your concept, and why do you think it’s worth pursuing? In a few sentences, give us a snapshot of your idea—what it aims to do, why it matters, and what impact you hope it will have. This section is not a detailed proposal, but a brief and compelling introduction to your project concept.
APPLICATION
Deadline: Monday, January 19, 2026
You’ll learn more about the application process at the information sessions
COMPETITION
Saturday, February 7, 2026 | 9am-1pm
The 2026 Innovation Competition will take place in the Kelley School of Business. Each participant will deliver a six-minute project presentation, followed by a Q&A session with the judging panel.
If you have any questions before the information session, please don’t hesitate to contact Alain Barker (abarker@iu.edu) or Sehyun Paik (paik@iu.edu). We look forward to hearing your innovative project ideas!
FUNDING
Generous support for the 2026 Innovation Competition is from Jacobs School of Music donors, IU Innovates, and the Kelley School’s Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
PREVIOUS YEAR WINNERS
2025 Innovation Competition
2024 Innovation Competition
2023 Innovation Competition
2022 Innovation Competition
2021 Innovation Competition
