The University of Maryland's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship is growing its annual competition to include students from around the nation to find the top student entrepreneurs.

The Cupid’s Cup Business Competition is a UM-sponsored collegiate competition that requires five finalists who have written entrepreneurial business plans to pitch their ideas to a panel of professionals, including Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, for the chance to win.

Participants will be seeking $70,000 in cash prizes and coaching from a team of entrepreneurs and the grand prize winner will be granted exclusive access to Plank’s professional network.

The competition is now open to any undergraduate or graduate student at any U.S. accredited higher education institution who are running companies with at least $5,000 in revenue.

"I'm looking to identify and reward students who have the entrepreneurial drive and conviction to take the risk to start a business," Plank said in a UM statement. "The University of Maryland has proven to be incredibly fertile ground for talented entrepreneurs, and I am excited to expand our search and to share this inspiring program with passionate students across the country.”

The final round of competition will take place April 5 at the University of Maryland College Park campus in front of competition judges and roughly 1,000 attendees.

The Dingman Center is part of UM’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Applications for the competition will be accepted Nov. 5 through Feb. 1. For more information, visit cupidscup.com.

djgross@gazette.net