Arkansas Governor’s Cup partners with Startup Junkie

Arkansas Capital Corp. announced it will partner with Startup Junkie and its newest program, ARise, for the Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition.

Dhu Thompson, Owner of US Irrigation and Former Owner and President of Delta Plastics and Revolution Bag, returns as the Title Sponsor for the 25th year of the program.

Startup Junkie and ARise join as the sponsor for the High Growth Technology Graduate Division for the first time after launching their new program in June 2024.

“Arkansas Capital has positively impacted thousands of student entrepreneurs through the Governor’s Cup competition, thanks to the generous support of our partners and sponsors. We are excited to enhance this impact through our new partnership with Startup Junkie and ARise, which will provide additional support and coaching opportunities for all participating students and teams,” said Sam Walls III, CEO, of Arkansas Capital.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Governor’s Cup this year. Sponsoring the High Growth Technology Graduate Division is the perfect opportunity for our new ARise program as it is specifically designed to support Arkansas innovators, startups, and entrepreneurs engaged in tech and tech-enabled ventures,” said Jeff Amerine, Startup Junkie founder and co-director of the ARise program.

To make the program more accessible and support early-stage startups in the Natural State, Startup Junkie and ARise will lead training workshops to strengthen student teams’ oral presentation and elevator pitch skills.

Additionally, Startup Junkie and ARise are offering free coaching services to help students prepare for the competition. ARise’s advanced subject matter expert network will also be available to provide insight, answer questions, and assist Governor’s Cup teams.

The Governor’s Cup is open to undergraduate students from two- and four-year institutions in Arkansas, as well as graduate students from Arkansas and surrounding states. The 2025 all-cash prize pool is $144,000.

Learn more at this link.