2024 RISE Business Pitch Competition – US

Award Categories

Entrepreneurs will compete in one of two categories: Startup or Scale Up.

• Startup Category
  • The Startup category includes pitches from entrepreneurs with startup ideas and early-stage businesses that are very early in their process of becoming established and launching.
• Scale Up Category
  • The Scale Up category includes existing businesses that have demonstrated a concept that would scale up their business. Each of the businesses that pitch in this category are already established with customer relationships, suppliers, and marketing strategies.
• Additional awards include:
  • SOVA Female Founders Fund
    • Established in 2023 with an initial gift from Ilsa Loeser of Letterpress Communications, the SOVA Female Founders Fund for Women-Owned Businesses is intended to provide additional support and encouragement to female entrepreneurs demonstrating perseverance in pursuing their vision. The minimum award amount is $250.
  • Rising Star Award
    • Established in 2023 to celebrate the passion and potential of young entrepreneurs, the Rising Star Award intends to encourage and empower young people to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and showcase their innovative ideas. The minimum award amount is $250.

Benefits

• The RISE Business Pitch Competition will award over $10,000 in funding to entrepreneurs who pitch their ideas to startup a new venture or scale-up their existing business.
• Startup Category – for New Businesses
  • Multiple awards, ranging from $500 to $1,000 per award
• Scale-Up Category – for Existing Businesses
  • 1st Place: $5,000
  • 2nd Place: $2,500
  • 3rd Place: $1,000

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants must meet all criteria listed below:

• Age: Individuals who are at least the age of eighteen (18) are eligible to apply. Individuals under the age of 18 may qualify, but an adult representative of the business must also be part of the application/pitch team and a parent or guardian must be present for all correspondence, interactions, and events.
• Business Stage and Location: Individuals/Owners of Startup and Existing Businesses (including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and other legal entities) must currently be registered to do business OR plan to register to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia and must have an operating presence in at least one of the following Virginia localities (GO Virginia Region 3): Counties of Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Halifax, Henry, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward; Cities of Danville, Martinsville.
• Business Size: Individuals/Owners of Startup and Existing Businesses (including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and other legal entities) must employ no more than 50 people.  With your application, please provide breakdown of your employees (full-time, part-time, contract workers, etc.), if applicable.
• Business Training: Individuals or at least one representative of an Organization must have completed the RISE Business Bootcamp – OR – must demonstrate completion of a similar entrepreneurship training program.
  • All completers of the RISE Business Bootcamp program, beginning with the Spring 2021 cohort through the Winter 2024 cohort, are eligible to apply to pitch in this regional competition.
  • Individuals who have completed similar entrepreneurship training programs such as the SBA Ascent Learning Platform, Startup Virginia Entrepreneurship Certificate, River District Association Dream Launch Bootcamp, or Startup/Grow Martinsville-Henry County are also eligible to apply to pitch in this regional competition.
• Attendance at the Pitch Event: Applicants must have availability to participate in-person at the Pitch Competition on April 11, 2024 in South Boston, Virginia.
  • This competition is designed to culminate in the in-person event. If this is the one eligibility criterion that is not met, then the applicant may include in their application a written request to pitch remotely. This request will be considered if it is determined that all other criteria are met.
• Prior Year Applicants: Prior year award winners are not eligible to apply with the same business. Prior year competitors who pitched but did not win an award are eligible to apply for the competition again. Prior year applicants who applied but were not selected to pitch are eligible to apply again.
• Ongoing Communication: Applicants must have a willingness to partner with RISE Collaborative by communicating regularly about your business progress for at least 12 months following the event. Pitch Competition winners are required to meet either in person or virtually once a quarter with a RISE Collaborative representative.
• Media Release: Applicants must complete a media release form agreeing to allow RISE Collaborative and its partners to include pictures and/or videos of you on their websites, social media pages, print material, and other marketing items to promote the RISE Business Pitch Competition and for media at the competition.

For more information, visit RISE Collaborative.