January 30, 2026
After taking a hiatus at the end of 2025, the Get Started: Business Idea Challenge has made its return, offering a revamped approach to funding new business ideas. What was once a virtual program is now hosted live at a new series of events known as Builder Day.
In tandem with providing initial financing to help ignite any business idea, the program is designed to assist and encourage participants in achieving specific milestones to help their fledgling ventures reach the market.
During the inaugural Builder Day, five members of Utah’s startup community were invited to compete. These future founders presented their ideas to a panel of judges and supportive members of the startup community — not only to fight for their chance at funding, but also to gain valuable experience pitching.
Thesis, a post-award grant financial management platform, was awarded $7,500 for taking the first-place judge vote. Through integrating with ERP and financial systems, Thesis provides research faculty and grant administrators with real-time budget visibility and advanced financial data insights so they can see budgets and spending patterns without manually pulling reports.
Additionally, tdooz, an app that manages, schedules, and delivers recurring and on-demand home services, earned $2,500 from winning the audience vote. By standardizing pricing, pre-vetting providers, and handling execution end-to-end, tdooz enables homeowners to see smarter recommendations, book services, and handle predictive care.
Future Get Started pitch events will mirror this format — choosing a select few applicants, all of whom must be Utah residents and over 18 years old, to present their ideas during upcoming Builder Day gatherings, which will rotate between Northern Utah, the Wasatch Front, and Southern Utah.
Interested individuals can visit the Get Started webpage for more information on eligibility, application procedures, and upcoming events.
The Business Idea Challenge is part of the broader Startup State Initiative, which aims to position Utah as a leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. This effort supports entrepreneurs throughout the lifecycle of their businesses and reflects the state’s commitment to foster innovation and support entrepreneurial spirit within Utah.
The information in this article is current as of the publishing date and is intended for informational purposes only. This article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal, tax, or business advice. Any resources and organizations mentioned, unless an entity of or a partner of the state of Utah, are not formally endorsed by the Startup State Initiative or state of Utah.