On April 8-9, 2021 we’re inviting all student-entrepreneurs and recent alumni founders to pitch: A competition for Black student-founders.
Showcase your business, compete for cash and in-kind prizes valued over $140,000, and build relationships with investors and other entrepreneurs. Organized by Duke University and North Carolina Central University. Applications now closed.
Why apply?
Are you building a company and looking for connections to the right investors? Do you seek community with Black entrepreneurs? Beyond the possibility of prize money, pitch is focused on delivering a robust experience for the participating entrepreneurs. Expert feedback from knowledgeable investors in your industry. A right-sized cohort of entrepreneurs so you can be seen and mentored during and after the competition.
How it works
During pitch, student-founders and recent alumni from across the US will have the opportunity to showcase their business to investors who have committed to investing in Black-founded and Black-led growth businesses.
- Open submission: Investors & experts will score and rank the submissions to select up to 15 semi-finalists – five per track.
- Semi-finals (April 8, 2021): In advance of the event, semi-finalists will receive a “success packet,” complete with templates, terms, and other readings to help prepare for the live pitches with investors.
- Finals (April 9, 2021): The winners of each track and a wildcard will advance to the finals for live pitches with investors.
Brought to you by The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the North Carolina Central University School of Business, in partnership with the Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, Resilient Ventures, and the Black Founders Exchange hosted by American Underground and Google for Start-Ups.
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