08.25.17
Launch Women Pitch Competition: Call for Student Applicants
Gary Fry, Business Coach & SVL Program Manager, The NIIC
Students are a growing part of the entrepreneurial community, and there’s no better time to put yourself out there than now. Young women, I am talking to you! The Launch Women Pitch Competition might be your chance to take your business or concept to the next level.
What’s this all about? Women who have recently started or hope to start a business will have the opportunity to get input on their business plans and potentially be selected to pitch their business at a public event. The monetary prize can make a huge difference in terms of starting or scaling your enterprise.
Access to capital can be a barrier to entry for many young female small business owners. We see this quite often when working with Student Venture Lab (SVL) Program clients. The cash prize can help open up doors otherwise not possible.
You’re probably wondering how the competition works. Applications will be accepted through September 11, with finalists being announced September 15. Applicants who are selected as finalists will be invited to pitch their company before a panel of esteemed judges during an event on September 23 at The NIIC.
The top pitch in the student business category will receive a NIIC Student Venture Lab investment of $5,000 with an opportunity to earn an additional $1,500 upon entering and completing phase 1 and phase 2 of the SVL program. Additionally, all finalists will be invited to participate in a 6-week diverse entrepreneur accelerator program hosted by WEOC later this fall.
Another intangible yet potentially significant benefit is publicity. The pitch event will be open to the public, and attendees will have the opportunity to network with members of the local startup community. The opportunity to get in front of influential people is priceless.
There’s more to the experience than just the competition. Additionally, the event will include workshops designed to help women entrepreneurs navigate key issues of starting a business, such as how to pitch their companies to investors or how to build strong company cultures as their businesses grow.
For more information or to register for the WEOC Launch Women Pitch Competition visit LaunchWomen.com.
