Applications are officially open for the 26th Annual Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC), presented by Rice Business and hosted by Rice Alliance — the world’s largest and richest intercollegiate student startup competition. On April 9–11, 2026, Rice University will once again welcome the best graduate student-led startups from across the globe to Houston to pitch, learn, and compete for over $1 million in prizes. If you know a graduate student-led startup ready to scale, encourage them to check their eligibility and apply for the 2026 RBPC.