Aspiring Entrepreneurs Set for Volusia Innovation Challenge

The future of Volusia County’s economy will be on display at the Ocean Center March 27 when business innovators, small-business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs compete in the 2025 Volusia Innovation Challenge. The annual pitch competition enables participants to validate their product concepts, receive expert guidance and compete for cash and in-kind prizes to launch or scale up their ventures in Volusia County.

According to Volusia County Economic Development Director Lou Paris, this year’s Innovation Challenge has a new twist.

“The Volusia Innovation Challenge began in 2014 and, until now, was exclusively open to students enrolled in higher education institutions within Volusia County,” he said.” For the first time, the competition is expanding to include all county residents, creating new opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs across the community.”

Paris said the annual event isn’t just a showcase of innovative ideas but has provided an impetus for new business development.

“Over the years, the challenge has helped launch several successful businesses,” he said. “One notable example is TSOLife, the 2015 winner, which recently secured a $9 million funding round – a testament to the competition’s impact.”

The event is also about making Volusia County a center of innovative thinking.

“The Volusia Innovation Challenge isn’t just about launching businesses – it’s about shaping the future of innovation in our community,” Paris said. “It’s not a question of if new success stories will emerge, but when. By continuing to host this competition, we inspire creativity, provide a platform to showcase groundbreaking ideas, and connect entrepreneurs with the resources they need to bring their innovations to market.”

The public also has a role to play in this year’s Innovation Challenge and can cast a vote for the “People’s Choice” award for one of the many creators and entrepreneurs exhibiting at the event’s Innovation Showcase.

Each finalist will have five minutes to explain their concept and judges will consider several categories to determine the winner, including market viability, innovation and differentiation, feasibility and financial viability. Participants will compete for cash prizes from $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place and $2,000 for the winner of the People’s Choice award.

“This is the kind of competition where everyone benefits,” Paris said. “While the winners take home the top prize, all participants gain valuable connections, skills, and insights that can propel their ventures forward. In fact, past contestants who didn’t place have gone on to build successful businesses, proving that participation alone can be a game-changer.”