With over $90,000 in non-dilutive funds awarded annually, Darden provides MBA students multiple opportunities to pitch their businesses ideas to investors, peers, faculty, alumni, business leaders and the broader UVA entrepreneurial ecosystem. Darden's competitions are open to all U.Va. students, and the school has structured its competitions to strongly encourage collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas across a broad range of disciplines and schools university-wide.

Darden's first major competition each year is the "Concept Competition." Hands-on workshops leading up to the competition will cover the topics of visualization, systems thinking, empathy, journey mapping and reframing. These workshops will enable students to collaborate across a wide range of disciplines, providing multiple opportunities for students to cross-pollinate business ideas within a design-thinking framework. Darden's new "Effectual De-Risking Competition," held in the late winter, is based on the principles of effectuation and teaches students to create their business concept with self-selected stakeholders while reducing the risks associated with launching their new business.  Darden's final competition of the academic year is the revamped "Business Plan 2.0" Competition which reflects the practices of real-world investors.

Students are encouraged (not required) to participate in the entire competition cycle each year to optimize their learning process and chances of success.

Other Competitions
VCIC 
 Annual international Venture Capital Investment Competition organized by UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Regional competitions held prior to international final round.

Strategic Competition Initiative 
Darden will sponsor a qualified number of student teams to attend certain strategic competitions in the areas of global leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainability, ethics, and diversity.