You can find all the dates and times at go.osu.edu/boss. Unless there is an academic conflict or excused absence, you should attend all the mandatory workshops live. Outside of workshops, it is up to the participants to decide how much time to spend on their presentations and business ventures. Co-working sessions are encouraged but not mandatory.
Best of Student Startups (BOSS) Frequently Asked Questions
Please inform the program facilitator if you cannot attend a workshop due to an academic conflict or excused absence (e.g., personal illness or family emergency). Participants will also receive PowerPoint slides from each workshop.
Students may enter as an individual. BOSS participants can also add team members throughout the program if they choose.
There is no limit to number of members per team.
At the time of submission, each student founder must be a current student enrolled in a degree-seeking program with a graduation date of December 2024 or later and in good standing at Ohio State. Additional venture team members do not need to be enrolled at Ohio State.
BOSS is open to all Ohio State students and is designed to attract individuals with varying entrepreneurial experience or education levels.
Please review the BOSS eligibility requirements.
BOSS welcomes you at any stage – whether you're just sparking an idea or already building your venture. Our program meets you where you are, focusing on testing assumptions and discovering your customers.
Starting the first week of November, all BOSS teams that complete the workshops will have the opportunity to present to a panel of judges. The judges will select five teams to compete in the BOSS Finale. More information about the presentation will be provided throughout the program.
The winning student-led venture will receive $20,000 in funding through the Joan & Chester Luby Microgrant Prize Program for BOSS. The program will also distribute awards of $10,000 and $5,000.
Please review the BOSS eligibility requirements.
The winning team from the BOSS Finale will receive a direct ticket to the President’s Buckeye Accelerator Pitch Finale. To qualify, the winning team must meet the eligibility and expectations of the President’s Buckeye Accelerator, including completing the pre-accelerator Boost Camp. Six student ventures are selected at the end of the finale to be part of the year-long President’s Buckeye Accelerator and advance their startup to launch with a $50,000 award.