Seeds for Success applications open for South Carolina student agribusiness entrepreneurs

Students across South Carolina have until Sept. 16 to declare their intent to compete in this year’s Seeds for Success Entrepreneurship Program, which offers up to $5,000 in funding for the best student agribusiness ideas.

The program is run by the Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship, known as ACRE, an initiative of the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. It is open to students in the seventh through 12th grades who are currently enrolled in school, and every entry must be tied to agriculture or agribusiness in some way.

Participants learn to build a business plan, develop a pitch and sharpen their public speaking skills. Students may enter with a real business they already operate, though most participants invent one. Entries may be submitted by individuals or by teams of no more than five students. Each school may field up to two teams, and each team or individual must have an adult teacher or supervisor. One adult may oversee both teams from the same school.

Every entry requires a written business plan, for which a fillable template is available but not required, and a pitch presentation built in a program such as PowerPoint, Canva or Google Slides. Finalists deliver that pitch live before a panel of judges.

The program follows a set timeline. Applications opened Aug. 17. Intent to participate must be declared by Sept. 16. Business plans are due Nov. 19, and any students selected to pitch will be notified Dec. 4, a step that becomes necessary only if the number of applicants exceeds capacity.

Pitch Day is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2027, at the Phillips Market Center in Columbia, with the start time to be set once organizers know how many students are competing. Participants are asked to stay for all of the presentations. Organizers will serve a buffet-style lunch during a session featuring agribusiness professionals. Awardees will be notified Jan. 20, 2027.

Award checks are made out to the winning students’ schools.

Teachers and supervisors can find the application, a business plan curriculum guide, worksheets, scoring rubrics and instructional videos on marketing and business financials through the ACRE website. Completed applications should be emailed to Addie Roberson at the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. Once a school declares its intent, organizers send back a sample business plan and a video pitch from a past ACRE awardee.

Agribusiness is South Carolina’s largest industry, and ACRE was created to support research, entrepreneurship and economic growth across the sector.