Events, Organizations and Resources
Entrepreneurial Pitch Competitions
An entrepreneurial pitch competition is an event where entrepreneurs present their business ideas or startups to a panel of judges, potential investors, and an audience, with the goal of securing funding, gaining exposure, and receiving feedback.
These competitions are designed to simulate a real-world investment pitch scenario and often include the following elements:
- Presentation: Entrepreneurs deliver a concise and compelling pitch, usually spanning a few minutes, where they outline their business concept, market potential, business model, unique selling points, and financial projections.
- Judging Panel: A group of experts, including investors, industry leaders, and successful entrepreneurs, evaluate the pitches based on criteria like innovation, feasibility, market need, and potential for growth.
- Q&A Session: After the pitch, entrepreneurs typically engage in a question-and-answer session with the judges to provide clarity, defend their assumptions, and demonstrate their knowledge and preparedness.
- Feedback: Participants receive valuable feedback and insights from the judges, helping them refine their business strategies and improve their pitches for future opportunities.
- Awards and Prizes: Winners often receive cash prizes, investment offers, or other resources such as mentorship, office space, or services that can help further develop their business.
- Networking Opportunities: Besides the chance to attract investment, pitch competitions offer networking opportunities with other entrepreneurs, potential partners, and industry stakeholders.
Overall, entrepreneurial pitch competitions provide a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas, gain exposure, and potentially secure the resources needed to advance their business ventures.
The Greenlight Business Model Competition
Eligibility: Everyone
Location: Detroit
Url: https://www.greenlightmichigan.com/
Description: From funding to connections, the Greenlight experience covers the main ingredients that tend to take the road ahead and install changes that matter the most. They provide new entrepreneurs with a business pitch in an early-stage pitch competition that brings together entrepreneurs and small business supporters from all over Michigan. Competition finalists pitch ideas to a panel of seasoned judges, while also networking with angel and venture capital investors from across the state.
Hatch Detroit Pitch Competition
Eligibility: Everyone
Location: Detroit
Url: https://hatchdetroit.com/
Description: Since 2011, Hatch Detroit has helped Detroiters support up-and-coming entrepreneurs. The Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest by TechTown is an innovative contest that asks the community to decide the winner by voting for the business they want to see open in the city. This year, the grand prize winner will receive $100,000 courtesy of Comerica Bank to help open their doors! The Top 10 finalists receive free consulting and in-kind services from TechTown Detroit. Whether you’re applying as a business owner or voting for your favorite business idea, your participation will help shape the future of Detroit!
Ilitch School Startup Technology Pitch Competition
Eligibility: Wayne State University Students
Location: Detroit
Url: https://ilitchbusiness.wayne.edu/bell/tech-pitch-competition.php
Description: Current WSU students of any major, enrolled either full-time or part-time, are invited to submit a technology pitch for this competition, which will be held Friday, March 28, 2025. All team members must be in good standing during the Winter 2025 semester. Teams can be composed of two to four current undergraduate or graduate students. Prototype/minimum viable product is recommended and cash investments are awarded to winning teams. Pitches should be technology-based, examples include mobile apps, a software application, manufacturing hardware, consumer products, a medical device, AI driver, sustainability tools and more. First place recieves $10,000, Second, $5,000, Third, $2,500
MFF Pitch Competition at the Sports, Tech, and Venture Summit
Location: Detroit
Eligibilty: Anyone in Michigan
Url: https://michiganfoundersfund.org/event/mff-pitch-competition-sports-tech-venture-summit/
Description: As part of the Sports, Tech, and Venture Summit, up to 7 Michigan-based startup founders may be accepted to compete for a chance to win $10,000 in non-dilutive funding! This industry agnostic pitch competition and the broader summit are great opportunities to connect with potential funders that can be great resources for Michigan’s founders.
Michigan Business Challenge
Eligibility: University of Michigan Ann Arbor Students
Location: University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Url: https://zli.umich.edu/michigan-business-challenge/
Description: The Michigan Business Challenge is a campus-wide, multi-round business plan competition where student teams have the opportunity to win cash prizes totaling over $100,000, gain feedback from leaders in the business community, and expand their business network. The competition kicks off in November with more than 100 teams competing in the first round and concludes in February with four competing teams in each of the track finals. The competition boasts three separate tracks including the Seigle Impact Track, the Innovation Track, and the Invention Track. During each round, teams will pitch to a new panel of judges composed of entrepreneurs and investors.
Michigan Tech Week Pitches
Eligibility: High Growth Startup Founders
Location: Detroit
Url: https://www.michigantechweek.com/pitch
Description: There are multiple opportunities for high-growth startup founders to pitch their businesses on-stage during Michigan Tech Week to esteemed panels of venture capitalists and other startup experts. Apply now to pitch your company to a national audience and receive funding and investments from an overall $300,000 prize pool.
Pitch Black Detroit
Eligibilty: Black-Owned Businesses
Location: Detroit
Url: https://michigansbdc.org/pitch-black-detroit/
Description: The Michigan SBDC was thrilled to present PITCH BLACK Detroit on October 3, 2024 – a unique and entertaining pitch competition program that uplifts Black-owned businesses and celebrates Black culture. Part competition – part game show. Twenty-five (25) Black-owned businesses were selected as contestants for the program and had the opportunity to compete for over $10,000 in cash prizes. All contestants received 6-weeks of customized training from the Michigan SBDC’s Uplift Michigan Initiative to prepare them for the competition and were assigned a Michigan SBDC consultant to help them develop a 3–5-minute business pitch.
Pitch Club Michigan
Eligibility: Everyone
Location: Farmington Hills
Url: https://www.pitchclubmi.com/
Description: Pitch Club Michigan, powered by the Kyyba Innovations network, is an initiative that contains an ongoing series of monthly startup events across the Michigan landscape (Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Pontiac, and Grand Rapids). Pitch Club provides a platform for startups seeking mentoring and investment opportunities to connect with investors, advisers, partners, and customers. Through this program, dozens of young entrepreneurs have connected and learned from seasoned entrepreneurs and investors.
Pitch MI
Location: Detroit
Eligibilty: Open to pre-seed, Series A, and Series B companies with 51% of their employees residing in the State of Michigan.
Url: https://growingmichigan.org/opportunities/
Description: PitchMI is a statewide, Shark Tank style competition where innovative start-up businesses pitch their ideas for the chance to win $100,000 towards their solutions to further the innovation opportunities across Michigan. It is a commitment to entrepreneurial problem solving, connecting innovators with capital and accelerating opportunities for innovation in the state.
Ponyrides Battle of the Pitches
Location: Statewide
Eligibilty: Open to businesses based in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Washtenaw Counties with 1-50 employees and annual revenue below $500,000.
Description: Participants will have the chance to compete for cash prizes. Each cohort (Retail/E-Commerce and Services, Healthcare & Technology) will award $7,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place, and $3,000 for third place. Designed to empower aspiring entrepreneurs in southeast Michigan and offer a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs at all stages—from startups to established businesses. This exciting competition provides a platform for individuals to display their innovative business ideas and gain the resources needed to turn their dreams into reality.
Take A Chance! Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition
Eligibility: Everyone
Location: Detroit
Description: The competition allows participants to compete in one of six categories: AI and Immersive Reality; Entertainment, Media, and Content; Nutrition, Wellness, and Healthcare; Next-Generation Workforce Solutions; Urban Innovation, Transportation & Sustainable Solutions; and Emerging Student-Led Venture. Finalists have the opportunity to present their business pitches. A panel of esteemed judges will award $20,000 to the first-place winner of each category, $5,000 to the runner-up, and an additional $101,000 to the overall grand prize winner. This competition offers a unique platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative ideas and gain recognition for their hard work and creativity. With a mission to encourage and promote exceptional talent within the state, TAKE A CHANCE! provides a level playing field for Michigan businesses to shine. The competition not only offers substantial prizes but also unparalleled mentorship, networking opportunities, and exposure through prominent media channels.
University of Michigan-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch
Location: Dearborn
Eligibilty: UM Dearborn Students
Description: In a two-step process, individuals or teams of up to six members start by submitting ideas online. Ideas are reviewed by experts. The general public also has the chance to vote for ideas. The top ten teams selected present their ideas for additional cash prizes on Pitch Day. During the pitch competition, teams have five minutes to describe their business idea more fully as they present to a panel of judges. Prizes are split among several worthy projects according to the panel of judges.
Venture 313
Eligibility: Everyone
Location Detroit
Url: https://detroitdemoday.com/
Description: Venture 313 comprises a three-year, $10 million commitment to three founding partners: TechTown, Invest Detroit, and Detroit Development Fund. Through Venture 313, these partners will invest $500 to $250,000 into Detroit businesses through a mixture of grant funding and equity-like investments, depending on a business’ size, situation and need. Venture 313 will also provide unique programming and networking opportunities for participating Detroit businesses. To obtain funding and other benefits of Venture 313, interested entrepreneurs will create an account, build their user profile and complete a journey planner. Each entrepreneur’s journey planner will provide them with a Playbook uniquely tailored to their needs.
Young Detroit Start Up Challenge
Location: Detroit
Eligibilty: Students and young professionals who work, live, or study in Detroit
Description: The Detroit Start Up Challenge - Pitch Contest invites students and young professionals who live, work, or study in Detroit to present their innovative business ideas or community solutions. Participants can apply by completing an interest form in early November. After submitting a business proposal, selected candidates will advance to the next round, where they will pitch their ideas in a 3-5 minute presentation or prototype to a panel of judges. The winner will receive valuable mentorship and free co-working space at TechTown, with additional prizes awarded to top contenders in each category. This is an exciting opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and make a real impact in Detroit.
WomanUp & Pitch
Eligibility: See below
Location: Michigan
Url: https://miwf.org/business-programs/womanup-pitch/
Description: Each year, they host four competitions: Southeast Michigan, West Michigan, Mid-Michigan and a Statewide Food Competition. Ten female entrepreneurs are selected to compete in each of the four WomanUp & Pitch competitions. Five entrepreneurs compete in the Startup Business category (in business fewer than 3 years and revenue less than $150,000) and five entrepreneurs compete in the Established Business category (in business for 3 years or more and/or revenue greater than $150,000). To be eligible, businesses must be: For-profit Based in Michigan, at least 51% women-owned, have not pitched in a previous MWF WomanUp & Pitch competition, in a qualified industry, not a cannabis or adult entertainment-themed business.
Do you host a pitch competition in Detroit or SE Michigan?
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