Pitch@WCC

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Update for our Pitch@WCC 2024 Competition!

  1. Finalists will be notified on Finalists will be notified on a rolling basis from Tuesday, March 12 through March 15 by email! (Check your email!)
  2. After receiving notification on email, finalist will need to attend either of the required finalist meetings:
    • Tuesday, March 19 Finalist Info Session #1 at 12 p.m.
    • Tuesday, March 19 Finalist Info Session #2 at 6 p.m.
    • Wednesday, March 20 Finalist Info Session #3 at 4 p.m.
  3. Submit a Pitch@WCC acceptance form to the EC by Friday, March 22 5:00 p.m. (Form was sent out to finalists in email congratulations email.)
  4. Schedule your practice pitch with coaching specialists between March 25 - through April 5.
    ***Optional (but highly recommended for finalist only) - from April 8 through April 18 schedule your small group practice pitch at The Entrepreneurship Center with EC Staff – (Schedule using this Calendly Link!)
  5. Schedule and Attend Dress Rehearsal Week for final Practice Pitch April 29 – May 3.
  6. All Pitch time limits other than the Build and Start categories will be 3 minutes. Build and Start Categories will be 4 minutes. Judges will have Q&A after each pitch.
  7. Pitch LIVE and in person in front of the public and a panel of judges on two days.

The categories of Art, Student, and Skilled Trade (Social Impact) will pitch on Wednesday May 8.

The categories of START, BUILD, Social Impact, Returning Citizens will pitch on Thursday, May 9.

Winners will be announced at end of the live event on each day, Wednesday, May 8 and Thursday, May 9, and prize winnings will be paid shortly thereafter.

Welcome to Pitch@WCC 2024!

Pitch@WCC is our annual event that provides WCC students and community members an opportunity to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills and advance their business concepts toward becoming an operating and profitable business.

Please note we made the following changes to the competition this year:

  • Added three new categories - Art, Skilled Trade, and Returning Citizens.
  • Broadened the Non-Profit category to Social Impact - including profit and non-profit businesses that primarily have a social mission.
  • Deleted the Grow category as we are focusing on businesses at the idea or early stage (fewer than 5 customers).
  • Included acceptance into our incubator program for all finalists. The incubator, a two-year program provides mentorship, training, events, support, and other in-kind resources to help start-ups launch their new businesses. As a finalist for the pitch competition, you will automatically be part of our 2024-2026 incubator cohort which starts June 2024.
  • Additional prize money will be awarded upon competition of first milestones of the program for all finalists.

Pitch 2024 Categories

Art

Visual or performing artistic business at the idea or early start up stage (fewer than 5 customers) and for profit. 

Returning Citizens

Exclusively for Returning Citizens. Can be at the idea or early stage start up (fewer than 5 customers). Can be a profit or non-profit and can be any type of business.

Skilled Trade

Skills, trade or manufacturing business at the idea or early start up stage (fewer than 5 customers) and for profit.

Social Impact

A business that has a social mission as its primary mission at the idea or early stage start up (fewer than 5 customers). Can be a profit or non-profit or if you are at the idea stage you have the intent to register as a profit or non-profit.

Student

Exclusively for WCC students. Could be at the idea or early stage start up (fewer than 5 customers). Can be a profit or non-profit and can be any type of business.

Start

This pitch is for those who have a business idea and/or are in the process of launching their business. One or a few customers.

Build

This pitch is for those who have an early-stage business and up to about 5 customers. Apply for this pitch if you are looking to further define your business and increase your customer base.

NOTE: Only students can apply for two categories in Pitch@WCC.


Prizes

Category Award
Art $2500
$1500 upon winning, $1000 upon completing incubator first milestones (Summer 2024)
Returning Citizen   $2500
$1500 upon winning, $1000 upon completing incubator first milestones (Summer 2024)
Social Impact $2500
$1500 upon winning, $1000 upon completing incubator first milestones (Summer 2024)
Skilled Trade $2500
$1500 upon winning, $1000 upon completing incubator first milestones (Summer 2024)
Start $2500
$1500 upon winning, $1000 upon completing incubator first milestones (Summer 2024)
Build $5000
$4000 upon winning, $1000 upon completing incubator first milestones (Summer 2024)
Student 1st place: $750
2nd Place: $500
3rd Place: $200 
Swipe left to see full chart

FAQs

All participants will be notified of final selections by Monday, March 4th before 5:00pm and the selected finalists will receive further information to prepare for the Pitch @ WCC event.

Approximately twenty-one finalists, (3 in each category) will be selected to pitch at the live event across two days:  May 8th and May 9th. Finalists will only pitch against others in their same category:

  • May 8: Categories include: (Student, Art, Skill/Trades)  
  • May 9th: Categories include: (Start, Build, Returning Citizens, Social Impact) 

If you are selected as a finalist, these are the steps you need to do to prepare a final verbal pitch to be delivered live and in person at WCC.

  1. Attend either of the required finalist meetings:
    • Wednesday, March 6 Finalist Info Session #1 at 12 p.m.
    • Monday, March 11 Finalist Info Session #2 at 4 p.m.
  2. Submit a Pitch @ WCC acceptance form to the EC by Friday, March 15 at 5:00 p.m.
  3. Schedule your practice pitch with coaching specialists between March 18 through April 4
  4. Optional (but highly recommended) - from April 8 through April 18 schedule your small group practice pitch at The Entrepreneurship Center with EC Staff.
  5. Schedule and Attend Dress Rehearsal Week for final Practice Pitch April 29 – May 3
  6. All Pitch time limits other than the Build and Start categories will be 3 minutes. Build and Start Categories will be 4 minutes. Judges will have Q&A after each pitch.
  7. Pitch LIVE and in person in front of the public and a panel of judges on two days.

Winners will be announced at end of the live event on each day, Wednesday, May 8th and Thursday, May 9th, and prize winnings will be paid shortly thereafter.

In the first phase of the competition, all 2-minute “Pitch Your Pitch” videos will be judged on:

  • Clear introduction of the problem you are trying to solve.
  • Understandable description of product or service.
  • Explanation of your targeted customer base or impacted community segment.
  • Statement on what makes the business or idea unique.
  • Clear, concise and viable business or idea.
  • How you business fits with the mission of the WCC Entrepreneurship Center.

Please Note:

  • Video length cannot exceed two minutes.
  • Verbal presentation only, no slide show or embedded videos.
  • Only your Pitch will be judged, NOT your video quality/production value.
  • Crucial to include your business name.

Finalists will be selected who best meets these criteria. Good luck!

The panel of judges will consist of business leaders and entrepreneurs from the local community. EC staff will not be part of the committee, so they can advise participants throughout the competition.

Judges and organizers will NOT sign nondisclosure documents.

Yes, non-profits can be included in the Social Impact, Student and Returning Citizen categories.

The Entrepreneurship Center will continue to provide support to all Pitch @ WCC applicants through resources, the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, events, webinars, and workshops. In addition, all finalists will have the opportunity to join our EC incubator program - our two-year program provides mentorship, training, events, support, and other in-kind resources to help start-ups launch their new businesses. As a finalist for the pitch competition, you will automatically be part of our 2024-2026 incubator cohort which starts June 2024.  Final payment of prize money will be received upon completion of the business plan part of the program (Summer 2024).

You can apply if you participated in past competitions, but NOT if you have ever won a prize at Pitch @ WCC.

If you have any other questions, please email [email protected].


Media

Concentrate Media Article

DBusiness in its daily news release

SEED STRAW (1:48)

DIAMOND PRINCESS (1:37)

KISS (1:07)

HEAL4LIFE (1:34)


View Pitch@WCC past winners and press.

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