UL Lafayette Students Advance to Louisiana’s “Shark Tank” Style Pelican Cup Finals

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL-FM) Two University of Louisiana at Lafayette graduate student teams are heading to the statewide championship round of one of Louisiana’s most competitive collegiate innovation events. Along with cash prizes and recognition, these teams are developing concepts and strategies that can benefit society.

UL Lafayette Represented Twice in This Year's Pelican Cup

The teams have been selected as finalists in the Graduate Division of the Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, Louisiana’s premier business plan competition. Out of six teams advancing to the final round, two represent UL Lafayette, highlighting the university’s growing reputation for innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Jonathan Shirley, operations and programs manager for the Louisiana Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center and a faculty mentor, said the accomplishment speaks volumes about the students involved.

“Having two UL Lafayette teams advance to the Pelican Cup finals is a testament to the creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurial drive of our students,”

 

“There are six finalists and we have two of them.”

What is the Pelican Cup?

For those unfamiliar with the event, the Pelican Cup is essentially Louisiana’s version of a “Shark Tank” competition for college students. Teams from universities across the state develop full business plans and pitch them to a panel of business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs. Judges evaluate the ideas, narrow the field, and then hear in-person presentations before awarding cash prizes, including $50,000 for first place, $25,000 for second, and $10,000 for third.

Meet the two UL Lafayette Teams Competing in 2026

UL Lafayette’s finalists include Team Bio-Pod, which is developing plant pods designed to simplify organic gardening, and Team Outage Pilot, a smart home energy platform that helps homeowners predict and manage power outages.

The Importance of the Pelican Cup Competition

While the competition highlights student innovation, the impact goes beyond campus. Ideas like these can eventually turn into real companies, new technologies, and solutions to everyday problems, from improving home gardening to helping families better prepare for power outages during storms. You can get a better idea of the scope of the Pelican Cup from last year's recap video.

For residents across Acadiana, it’s another reminder that some of the next big ideas may be starting right here at UL Lafayette.