Date: February 26, 2026 Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM St. Francis Center

Swimming with the Sharks is a grant competition for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs-to-be from the Siouxland area.  The major requirement is that the business is located in Siouxland. The application should reflect the need for funding for initial research/development of a business plan, for seed money to start a business, or for a cash infusion for a young business. 

If selected as one of five finalists, you will have the opportunity to pitch your business. You have five minutes to pitch and then the judges have five minutes to ask questions. After the five pitches, the judges will deliberate and you will know that night if you won a grant. One finalist may win up to $4,000 in grant money. There will be $5,000 in grant money in total.

Applicants must download the Word document below, completely it out, and email it to SharkSwim@briarcliff.edu by midnight on Friday, February 11, 2026.  Five applicants will present as finalists at the Swimming with the Sharks competition on Thursday, February 26 beginning at 6:30 pm.  The applicants will be judged by objective professionals on the viability of the business/business idea and the completeness of the application.  Contestants must be able to pitch their business idea to the panel of judges on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 6:30 pm in the St. Francis Center on the Briar Cliff University campus, 3303 Rebecca Street, Sioux City, Iowa. 

Business ideas must be from an individual or a group of individuals looking to profit from their venture.  The business must be located in Siouxland.

Important Dates

January 12	Applications open
February 11	Deadline for applications (due by midnight)
February 13	Five finalists are notified
February 19	Sharks Bootcamp – Briar Cliff University, 6:30 PM
February 26	Swimming with the Sharks Competition – Briar Cliff University, 6:30 PM

Download an Application