Applications open for Seed Capital Pitch Competition (US)

Deadline: 23 May 2025

The Good Soil Movement has announced the Seed Capital Pitch Competition, presented by Wells Fargo and with support from Hello Alice, an exciting opportunity to showcase your business, gain exposure, and compete live for funding in front of investors and a national audience.

The competition is part of the Good Soil Forum, presented by Wells Fargo, a $500,000 investment initiative into small businesses that are ready to grow.

All finalists will also be invited to join the Good Soil Accelerator, a year-long program that provides intensive mentorship, resources, and support to help grow your business and improve fundability. And if you’re one of the first 1,000 applicants, you’ll receive free access to LivePlan-a top-rated business planning tool to help you build or enhance your business plan.

Funding Information

Prizes include:
- First Place: $200,000
- Second Place: $100,000
- Third Place: $75,000
- Dallas-Based Business Award: $50,000

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to enter a business in the Program, you (“Officer”) must be all of the following as of the first day of the Program Period (defined below):
- an entrepreneur who is the leading executive (i.e. Founder) of a small business that meets the below business criteria;
- a legal resident of one of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico;
- eighteen (18) years of age or older (19 in AL and NE).
To be eligible to participate in the Program, the business (“Entrant”) must meet all of the following criteria as of the first day of the Program Period:
- Be a for-profit business located and registered in one of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico;
- Must create or have an existing account on the Good Soil HQ app;
- Must not have received more than $1M in previous funding;
- Employees should earn no more than $100K annually;
- Total debt must be under $200K (unless it’s a convertible note);
- Must be present to pitch live, in-person at the Good Soil Forum in Dallas, TX, on June 14, 2025;
- Not operate in any of the following excluded industries: adult entertainment businesses, firearms, alcohol (except restaurants), gambling, multi-level marketing (MLM), or illegal activities; and
- Must not be an employee, officer, or director of the Sponsor, TDJEnterprises LLC, Wells Fargo, or any of their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries.