If you want to build a business, you usually have two choices: fight your competitors in a bloody, crowded market (a “Red Ocean”), or create a brand-new, uncontested market space (a “Blue Ocean”).
The Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition is the most prestigious virtual entrepreneurship pitch competition in the world for high school students. It challenges young innovators to apply the famous Blue Ocean Strategy to their business ideas, focusing on “Value Innovation”—simultaneously achieving high differentiation and low cost.
Is It Prestigious?
Yes. Founded and supported by high school students and backed by major sponsors, it is globally recognized. Thousands of students from around the world compete annually. Because it is completely virtual, it acts as a highly accessible yet fiercely competitive global benchmark for teen entrepreneurship.
Eligibility: Who Can Enter?
- Age: You must be of high school age (14–18 years old) at the time of registration.
- Team Size: You can compete as an individual or in a team of up to 5 students.
- Global: It is open to students from anywhere in the world.
How to Participate & Submit
The competition is entirely virtual and free to enter.
- Register: Sign up via the official website to get on the mailing list.
- Learn: Complete the free online Blue Ocean Mini-Course to learn the core concepts and frameworks.
- Record Your Pitch: Create a video pitch for your original business concept. You do not need a fully functioning product or a registered LLC to enter—you are pitching the concept and its market viability.
- Submit: Upload your video to YouTube and submit the link through the competition portal before the annual deadline (typically early in the calendar year).
Prizes
- Global Winners: 1st Place wins $1,000, 2nd Place wins $750, and 3rd Place wins $500.
- People’s Choice: $750 goes to the pitch with the most engagement (likes/comments) on YouTube (must place in the Top 100 to be eligible).
- Regional Winners: Top teams from North America, Europe, Africa, Asia/Oceania, Latin America, and the Middle East each win $500.
How to Win
Winning pitches don’t just present a cool product; they prove that the product creates a new market. Here is how the judges score you:
- Master the Blue Ocean Tools: You must visually incorporate Blue Ocean frameworks in your pitch, specifically the Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create Grid (showing how you lower costs while increasing value) and the Strategy Canvas (mapping you against the competition).
- Target “Noncustomers”: Don’t just sell to people who already buy similar products. Explain how your idea attracts the “Three Tiers of Noncustomers”—people the market has forgotten or ignored.
- Skip Heavy Financials: At this stage, judges care more about the problem and your differentiation. Prove the market is large (e.g., $100M+ potential or impacting 50M+ people) and feasible, rather than obsessing over day-one accounting.
- Pitch with Passion: Your video message must be crystal clear, enthusiastic, and easily understood by anyone.
Ready to dive in? Visit blueoceancompetition.org to register, take the mini-course, and start crafting your pitch.