Win Big With the First Venture Valley Tournament in Yuma
Travis Gramm, Nick Night, Oliver Stoner-German, and Zane Aljazzazi at the Venture Valley Tournament at FORGE at Roy Place
University of Arizona FORGE is excited to announce Yuma’s first Venture Valley Tournament, sponsored by the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship. On February 21st from 1-5 pm, students are invited to compete in the tournament held at Arizona Western College during the Southwest AG Summit.
Students 16 years and older can play for a chance to win $2,000, $1,000, $500, $100, or $50 cash prizes. All majors and backgrounds are encouraged to compete and no prior business knowledge is required. Students can register here to secure their spot in the tournament. There is no cost to participate and the tournament will include snacks, giveaways, and more.
This is the third partnership between University of Arizona FORGE and the Singleton Foundation to host Venture Valley tournaments. The fast-paced multiplayer business simulation game uses gameplay to help players develop an understanding of basic business skills. Concepts learned include cause and effect on such things as pricing, wages, advertising, research and development, operational maintenance, product quality, and the cost and benefits of business loans.
At the first Venture Valley tournament sponsored by FORGE, UA freshman Oliver Stoner-German walked away with a $2,500 prize by growing his in-game revenue to over $90 million. Stoner-German went on to compete in several events across the country, including the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization's (CEO) 39th Annual Global Conference & Pitch Competition, where he won the grand prize of $10K.
Venture Valley is a fast-paced mobile and PC business strategy game where players take on the role of an entrepreneur, pitting their business savvy against others. In Venture Valley, players can experience both the highs and lows of being the boss. Nick Night, Venture Valley game maker, started the simulated business video game over four years ago.
“We wanted to take finance education and make it fun and engaging (for business/entrepreneurship education),” Night said. “How do you make it not just about education? Something that people want to play and have fun, but secretly learn something.”
Students can register here to secure their gaming spot and can even review the tutorial on how to play and download Venture Valley ahead of time to get in some practice for a competitive edge.
“As part of our quest to bring entrepreneurial opportunities to students, we partner with the Venture Valley mobile and PC game, as it encompasses what we teach on a daily basis,” said Paul Valdez, FORGE Student Venture Pathways Associate Director. “Students have a blast playing the game and walk away from the competition with a real sense of all of the factors and intricacies involved in being an entrepreneur.”
Want a preview of what to expect at a Venture Valley Tournament? Check out the news coverage from the tournament at FORGE at Roy Place in downtown Tucson.