$50,000 Prize Pool!!

What is Dolphin Tank?

Dolphin Tank is a “business doing” competition organized by the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship Innovation and Creativity at Le Moyne College. The purpose of Dolphin Tank is to provide a small award to entrepreneurial ventures seeking to take their business to the next level. Dolphin Tank takes inspiration from the hit television show Shark Tank, which curates a panel of prospective angel investors to hear pitches from budding entrepreneurs and make offers for investment. Dolphin Tank however is a completely not for profit effort where all dollars awarded to teams come from donors and the College receives nothing in return from the company.

At least one team member enrolled at Le Moyne College. Current enrolled undergraduate or graduate students from ANY program at Le Moyne College are eligible and encouraged to apply. Those who graduated in December 2024 are also eligible.

Eligibility Criteria

Co-Founders. You can have members of your team who are not affiliated with Le Moyne as long as at least one team member is currently enrolled (or graduate from Dec 2024) and is at least a partial owner in the business.

For-Profit & Non-Profit Businesses. Both for-profit and not-for-profit ventures are encouraged to apply.

Incorporation. Your businesses does NOT need to already be an incorporated entity in order to apply. If it is not, you will be asked to do so if you are awarded funds.

Revenue Generating. Your businesses does NOT need to be generating revenue in order to apply. That said, Dolphin Tank is about business DOING, so please use as many real examples of business traction or metrics as possible in your application.

Early-Stage Businesses. While we emphasize business DOING, Dolphin Tank is designed for early-stage businesses and start-ups founded by a team which includes at least one currently enrolled Le Moyne student. We love applications for currently operating businesses but this is not to be taken to the extreme. For example, applying with your family’s manufacturing company would not be considered.

How Does it Work?

The prize pool comes from independent donors who are then offered a seat at the judges table.

Unlike typical business competitions where there is a set 1st Place, 2nd Place, and 3rd Place prize, in Dolphin Tank there is more of a marketplace dynamic. Each judge is allowed to allocate their donation to the business and in the amount of their choice up to the full amount of their donation. They may allocate their entire donation to one business, spread it evenly among all the businesses, or distribute it in any way they see fit.

The purpose of this is to provide a feedback metric to the entrepreneurs on how the market is receiving their idea. It also forces entrepreneurs to be very thoughtful about the use of funds and to ask for amounts that would make a meaningful impact.

Each business is required to incorporate (don’t worry we can help with that), set up a business bank account, and meet with the Keenan Center’s Associate Director, James Shomar, before awards are distributed. Award checks are made out to the business, not the entrepreneur personally. Businesses receive 50% of their award up front and the second 50% upon completing milestones entrepreneurs determine together with the Keenan Center.

“The money is valuable but the mentorship and support from the Keenan Center Team is invaluable. They have been there to help me every step of the way.”

— Student Quote

The Keenan Center is here to support all entrepreneurs

We spend a full month with the finalists to prepare them for Dolphin Tank.

We will guide entrepreneurs through the creation of their pitch deck and refinement of their presentation to help they have a successful time on stage.

More importantly … we are here to help entrepreneur build their business after the event. Each businesses works with the Keenan Center’s Assistant Director, James Shomar, about your growth plans. We are here to support entrepreneurs with the use of their award money, to the development of the business model, to sales growth strategies and everything in-between.

Dolphin Tank entrepreneurs have gone on to participate in accelerator programs, raise private investment, become intrapreneurs at other companies, or create an alternative career path for student entrepreneurs more interested in a fulfilling small businesses than a corporate job.