Origin of the Cup

Cupid’s Cup business competition began in 2006, thanks to the generous support of one of UMD’s most successful entrepreneurs, Kevin Plank, CEO of Under Armour. The competition got its name from one of Plank’s early entrepreneurial ventures, a Valentine’s Day rose sale business called Cupid’s Valentine he started while an undergraduate at the University of Maryland. That small business earned him more than $20,000 during his four years at the university and helped fund his ultimate entrepreneurial venture, Baltimore-based athletic apparel company Under Armour.

Plank has been a longtime supporter of the Smith School and the Dingman Center, donating $75,000 in fall 2007 to help create an endowment fund that the center uses to invest in viable startup businesses.

More about Kevin Plank