Global Pitch

Competition Stages

FAQ

Featured Winners

Important Dates

Prize Funding

40th Annual Global Pitch Competition


September 25 - November 4, 2023

The act of launching a new venture is the simplest path toward job security & financial freedom for any aspiring business founder. Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ have a great advantage in applying for and obtaining funding from Pitch Competitions, not to mention the lack of direct risk in launching a business. The application window for the 2023 Competition is open, click below to apply today and continue scrolling to view important dates for the competition!

View This Year's Contestants

Competition Impact Highlights

  • Competing Businesses Created…


    95 jobs

    56 of the jobs were fulltime and 39 were part time, during their time of participation.

  • More Than...


    600 students

    apply to compete in this competition annually from all 50 states and more than 16 different countries.

  • Participants had…


    644 meeting hours

    with mentors and business advisors during the competition cycle providing guidance, feedback and inspiration for new venture launch.

  • By Participating in the Competition…


    79% of participants agree

    that they are now better prepared to address challenges in their business -and- 100% of participants indicated that they plan to continue working on their venture post competition.

  • Participating Businesses Successfully Raised...


    $229,350

    in new venture funding since the inception of their venture. These funds included $98,875 from partner pitch competitions.




Competition Stages

Student participants will work at the start of the Fall Semester to assemble an Online Startup Pitch Deck commonly known as a PitchPage. Along the journey, participants will be guided through the creation of various elements of their pitch deck and Mentors/Advisors will work one-on-one with students to provide actionable feedback as they assemble strong Online Decks. On a weekly basis, participants will complete the following elements of their pitch deck.

 

Week 1

 
Business Profile

Participants begin with a blank PitchPage and create an Online Startup Pitch Deck, including:

  • Business Introduction
  • The Problem
  • The Solution
  • Team Profile

How We Make Money

Participants will effectively demonstrate their business model, including:

  • The Product
  • The Service
  • Business Model Projections

 

Week 2

 
Due Diligence + Funds

Participants demonstrate their knowledge of market share and planned use of prized winnings:

  • Research Use of Funds

Finalize The Deck

Participants will upload their 90 second pitch video and complete submissions of their supporting documents.

  • Supporting documents
  • 90 Second Pitch Video

After the three-week program, participants will have a completed PitchPage (an Online Startup Pitch Deck). CEO will disburse these decks to judges who will access the deck and evaluate each venture based on a variety of criteria including, but not limited to: concept feasibility, business model representation, "investability", traction and the individual’s aptitude for new venture creation. After a week-long judging process, twenty (20) finalists will be announced. Each finalist will deliver a 5-minute pitch, met with 5-minutes of Q&A on the main stage of our Global Conference, in-person, in Tampa, FL for $20,000 in funding. As a way to increase awareness of the 100 new ventures created by participating in this competition, CEO will feature each "Pitch Video" on a YouTube playlist. Each of the 100 participants will embark on their own social media campaigns to increase pitch video viewership and likes. The Pitch Video with the most views and likes will be awarded The Venture Valley Collegiate Entrepreneur of the Year and a $600 cash prize!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

In order to participate, you must be an actively enrolled student in your university or college. You must have a feasible business idea -or- be the founder of a business with revenues. If you successfully receive prize money by placing in the top 5 finalists of the competition, you will be required to present a class schedule in your name for the current academic semester. Failure to do so will result in the loss of your prize funding and will instead be awarded to the next runner up. Both graduate and undergraduate students are welcome to participate.
Yes. If a partner is involved in the business, they may participate in all components of the competition.
A good pitch is clear, emphasizes your passion and expresses a need. All contestants must include what they plan to use the first-place winnings of $8,000 for and how it will advance their venture. Your Pitch should flow in the order of the PitchPage you have been creating during the four-week program.
The video pitch you upload to PitchPages must be, no longer than, 90 seconds or 1 minute and 30 seconds in total length. If you are selected to the final round of the competition, you must prepare a concise 5-minute pitch. Be prepared to answer 5 minutes of Q&A from Judges.
No, if you would like to use visual aids during your pitch, you must use your created PitchPage to do so.
CEO does not release the judging criteria prior to the competition, but the judges will evaluate on concept feasibility, deliverability, how well the company solves a problem, business model representation, "investability," traction and the individuals’ aptitude for new venture creation.
No, the funding provided to winners of the competition is prize funds that can be used for any purpose. Award monies are reported to the IRS as 1099-Miscellaneous income.
NOTE TO STUDENT-PARTICIPANTS: All participants should be aware of something called 35 USC 102(b), which contains a nasty "gotcha" called an "in-use or on-sale bar" to patentability. This is not legal advice, look up 35 USC 102(b) yourself. Be familiar with this. Participants might want to consider (Prior to their presentations) taking their PowerPoint or other presentation materials, printing everything on 8.5 x 11 paper and mailing this into the US Patent Office with a check for $65 (Prior to their presentations). Doing so is not a cure-all, there are many other steps necessary in the patent process but at least doing this can be somewhat helpful to somewhat prevent the nasty "gotcha" of 35 USC 102(b). Just be aware, doing nothing could harm your patent rights.
CEO will begin communicating with contestants on September 16th. Be sure to add jzebrowski@c-e-o.org, and dmesick@c-e-o.org to your safe sender list to ensure proper receipt of the competition participant/finalist announcement. After September 16th, you will receive weekly e-mails from CEO HQ with competition participation prompts.

Featured First Place Winners


The Pitch Experience...In their own words

Jonaie Johnson, University of Missouri - Kansas City | Founder of Interplay | 2021 Winner


“I started off my CEO journey by competing in CEO’s 2020 Global Pitch Competition. Although I made it to the Top 20, I did not make it to the Final 8. I used that experience as an opportunity to learn and fuel Interplay’s growth. Making it to the Top 20, at the very early stage I was in with the company at the time, was highly motivating. It provided me with the further validation I needed to continue developing Interplay. A year later, I pivoted Interplay’s product from a dog crate to a dog crate attachment. This strategic change filled me with confidence as I prepared to compete in CEO’s 2021 Global Pitch Competition. Placing 1st in the competition was a remarkable moment! It provided Interplay with great validation, feedback, and momentum. Following the competition, Interplay has completed beta testing for the Interplay App, developed a prototype for the revised design, and placed 1st in AfroTech’s Young Founder’s Pitch Competition. We are on track to launch our Kickstarter campaign within the next 3-4 months. Being surrounded by likeminded entrepreneurs at CEO motivated me to continue to push the limits and make a difference as I progress with my company, Interplay.”

Nick Nastasi, Rowan University | Founder of 4U Medical Designs | 2022 Winner


“The Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization 2022 Pitch Competition positively impacted 4U Medical Designs and myself in numerous ways. In the 2021 Pitch Competition, 4U Medical Designs placed in the top 100. We were in our idea stage, and we gained a lot of advice that we put to action over the next year. The 2022 Pitch Competition allowed me to display the company's growth from just an idea, to a revenue generating company. The pitch competition allowed me to structure a strong and effective pitch to display what 4U Medical Designs is accomplishing. The prize money is being put towards attending the Child Life Conference as a vendor. This conference allows us to speak in person with the people in our industry that can add our products. Another portion of prize money is for adding licensed images that hospitals have requested to us! This allows us to put more smiles on more children’s faces. We needed this funding in this growth phase to keep current clients happy as well as find new clients! We thank the Collegiate Entrepreneurship Organization greatly here at 4U Medical Designs."

Harrison Nastasi & Justin Iannelli, Rowan University | Founder of Bobica Bars | 2023 Winner

"Being fortunate enough to place first in the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organizations Global Pitch Competition is such an honor. We went up against some of the smartest and brilliant people I know and it is amazing to see their ideas come to life just like ours. The conference was filled with so many investors, entrepreneurs and like-minded individuals that the conversation never stops! It is truly a moment I will never forget, and this further successes Bobica Bars to put more superfoods into more peoples hands."

-Harrison Nastasi

Apply Now

Important Dates


Applications are Open! Apply Now.

Monday, September 25: Applications Close, Submissions are Due

Friday, September 29: 100 Competition Participants Announced

Monday, October 2 - Sunday, October 15: Participants work weekly to build Virtual PitchPages. Weekly prompts sent by CEO HQ.

Monday, October 2: Top 100 participants logistics meeting. Open to Faculty Advisors, hosted on Zoom.

Sunday, October 15: Pitch Videos uploaded to YouTube Playlist to be considered for The Peoples Choice Venture Valley Collegiate Entrepreneur of the Year $600 Award.

Monday, October 16 - Thursday, October 19: Judging to select Top 20 Semi-Finalists

Friday, October 20: Top 20 Semi-Finalists are contacted by CEO HQ (via telephone) to verify the contestant will be in-person, in Tampa to present at the Semi-Final round on Friday, November . Contestants must confirm with CEO HQ by 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday, October 24 their plans to participate.

Tuesday, October 24: Top 20 Semi-Finalists are announced. Contestants must register for CEO Global Conference and secure travel/lodging arrangements.

Thursday, November 2: CEO Global Conference Kickoff, Pitch Competition Commences

Saturday, November 4: Final Round; Live Pitches on the Main Stage of CEO Global Conference, in Tampa

Prize Funding


First Place - $8,000 

Second Place - $6,000 

Third Place - $4,000 

Fourth Place - $2,000 

People's Choice Award - Venture Valley's Collegiate Entrepreneur of the Year - $600

Please note that all taxes on these prizes are the responsibility of the winners. Winners will receive a 1099-Misc from the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) reflecting income equivalent to the amount of each prize awarded.

Sponsors


The competition is generously supported by: The John E. and Jeanne T. Hughes Charitable Foundation, The Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation and the Singleton Foundation for Finanical Literacy & Entrepreneurship: Venture Valley.